* Each new administration brings with it catch phrases to sell its programs as aggressively as a pharmaceutical company convincing large portions of the population that they suffer from fibromyalgia or erectile dysfunction. From “The Great Society” to “Global War on Terror” to “Abstinence Only” both good and bad policies are wrapped in sound bytes that are the envy of Madison Avenue. The Obama administration is no different.
Secretary of Defense Robert Gates tells us that the troops we are leaving in Iraq will no longer be called “combat brigades.” The new term for these military forces will be “advisory and assistance brigades.” Since change is good the Defense Secretary did not stop there. The U.S. Command in Iraq will be re-designated "transition force headquarters" after August 2010. The Army must have felt that the Secretary needed an upgrade in sophisticated phrasing. Instead of "Advisory and Assistance Brigades" the Army is using the term "Brigades Enhanced for Stability Operations" (BESO). This may be progress linguistically but falls far short of Obama’s campaign promise to remove U.S. troops from Iraq by the middle of 2010. There is no word yet on how the Iraqis feel about re-labeled combat troops being in Iraq after the already agreed upon removal of U.S. troops by June 2010. My guess is that they are still trying to translate "Brigades Enhanced for Stability Operations" into Arabic.
Presidential administrations also tend to be competitive in some respects with previous administrations, especially if they represent a different political party. The Obama team is no different. In a recently leaked e-mail to Pentagon staff, Dave Riedel of the Department of Defense's office of security review wrote: "This administration prefers to avoid using the term 'Long War' or 'Global War on Terror'" -- a message he asked recipients to "please pass on to your speech writers." The preferred catchphrase is “Overseas Contingency Operation (OCO).” Some may say that OCO sounds more like an emergency appendectomy while visiting Uzbekistan but I kinda like it. “Global War on Terror” is a bit neoconnish for my taste and not very stealth. Using “Overseas Contingency Operation” allows us to sneak up on those terrorist bastards before they know what hit them.
As I observed this creative use of language I began to think of other phrases or terminology that do not contribute squat to solving problems but at least distracts one from the burdens of the day:
~ Instead of noting 700,000 job losses per month we should call them “interim disemployment economic adjustments” or IDEA. Somehow, 700,000 IDEAs has a much more positive connotation than “jobless” and will more quickly restore the confidence that we are told the economy needs.
~ Much of the economic tsunami that has enveloped our country can be attributed to Wall Street’s invention and abuse of derivatives. These are instruments made up of mortgages that often should not have been granted, then packaged and re-sold to other financial institutions with the intent of further re-selling them to other geniuses. When the housing bubble burst (home values precipitously fell) the weakness of these “financial instruments” became apparent and the proverbial shit hit the fan. Perhaps a derivative should have been called “Duck!”
* Protecting the Troops ~ and other works of fiction - I have commented on a number of occasions about the shoddy and incompetent work private contractors in Iraq and Afghanistan committed while building facilities for US troops. At least 18 military have died from electrocution. Years have passed as this problem has been ignored and covered up. “Task Force Safe” has now been instituted to inspect these buildings. Their findings: “Thousands of buildings at U.S. bases in Iraq and Afghanistan have such poorly installed wiring that American troops face life-threatening risks, a top inspector for the Army says... Of the nearly 30,000 buildings the Army's "Task Force Safe" has examined so far, Childs said more than half "failed miserably." And 8,527 had such serious problems that inspectors gave them a "flash" warning, meaning repairs had to be completed in four hours or the facility evacuated.” More than 70,000 buildings in Iraq have yet to be inspected. More than half of the less-than-inhabitable structures to date were constructed by Dick Cheney’s best buds KBR, using cheap and inexperienced foreign labor. Among the many disgraces that history will associate with Bush’s Iraq invasion will be the Bush administration’s abandonment of the troops and the screwing of the American tax payer by private contractors.
* If you cannot afford your prescriptions there is a solution ~ eat more fish – A pilot study funded by the EPA found that, “Fish caught near wastewater treatment plants serving five major U.S. cities had residues of pharmaceuticals in them, including medicines used to treat high cholesterol, allergies, high blood pressure, bipolar disorder and depression. The next time I need a re-fill prescription for Lipitor I’ll ask my physician for a fishing license. I will lower my cholesterol for free with the added advantage that the relaxation of fishing will help me avoid the need for blood pressure medication. Perhaps a degrading environment is not as bad as those liberal fear mongers make it out to be.
* What do the financial gurus under Bush and Obama have in common? They have strong ties to the financial world they are supposed to oversee and they opposed oversight and regulation of the financial services industry as it greedily spun out of control. They were given responsibility to police their friends and a broken system they helped create. That does not leave me with a great deal of confidence in Geithner and Summers and the team Obama has chosen to navigate the shark-infested waters of this economic crisis. It is not change I can believe in.
* Laboring for fairness - When an issue is complicated how does one know whether to be for or against it? In the case of the Bush presidency I learned that if Bush was for something, I was against it. This was not a purely partisan Pavlovian response. It was a result of observing failure upon failure upon incompetence. In the case of unions I strongly believe that it is time for the labor movement to be stronger as part of the renewal of America’s economy and to keep the middle class from facing extinction. My contrarian Bush principle applies to the Employee Free Choice Act (EFCA) - a measure intended to make it easier for American workers to form unions. Who is against this Act? AIG, Citigroup, Bank of America, FOX News, Wal-Mart, The Heritage Foundation and a host of other major corporations and organizations on the right of the political spectrum – a movement designed to protect and enhance the well-to-do royalty of our society at the expense of the overwhelming majority of Americans. What do the EFCA naysayers have in common? Their actions and philosophies are at the very core of what bankrupted the American economy and the capitalist soul. Capitalism is a proven viable economic system, IF, it is tempered with government oversight and an empowered labor force.
* “It is one of the characteristics of a free and democratic nation that it have free and independent labor unions.”
Franklin D. Roosevelt
“Our labor unions are not narrow, self-seeking groups. They have raised wages, shortened hours and provided supplemental benefits. Through collective bargaining and grievance procedures, they have brought justice and democracy to the shop floor.”
John F Kennedy
Showing posts with label EPA. Show all posts
Showing posts with label EPA. Show all posts
Saturday, March 28, 2009
Wednesday, January 7, 2009
* Israeli government not always right ~ Palestinian people not always wrong, but often wronged by their leadership – Many of us in the United States have a cultural and/or emotional connection to Israel. Others see a political connection to Israel as an American ally and some Christian fundamentalists see the connection as biblical. Regardless of the connection it would be unbalanced to say that Israel can do no wrong. The defense of Israel’s actions in Gaza predominates in the mainstream media in America. Bush’s neocon support of Israel and Obama’s silence about the attacks further the one-sided American perception of this conflict. I suggest that the debate encompass contrasting views such as Glen Greenwald at Salon.com in an article titled “Orwell, blinding tribalism, selective Terrorism, and Israel/Gaza,” the website Dissident Voice that discusses Top 5 Lies About Israel’s Assault on Gaza and Jstreet.org “the political arm of the pro-Israel, pro-peace movement.” In Israel there are strong demonstrations against the Gaza military action and Consenting Adult offers some insight including the observation that the attacks are really about Israeli domestic politics.
Marty Kaplan writing at Huffington Post soul searches the myriad moral and political dilemmas confronting the long-suffering Israelis and Palestinians. For those wondering why Israel launched their Gaza attack at this particular time Lisa Gans writing at Huffington Post suggests: “But the fact that Israel decided to launch this massive attack on the Gaza strip in the waning days of the Bush administration suggests that Tel Aviv, at least, thinks that the days for such an action might be limited… Nothing in the events leading up to the now nine day long assault (as of January 5th) on Gaza created a sense of urgency that justifies the scale and speed of the Israeli action… Rather than being a sign of support for the Gaza offensive, Obama's refusal to comment at all may suggest that, while he is unwilling to interfere in the White House's ability to conduct foreign policy, he may not be supportive of Israel's actions, and that he intends to take a different tone from the current administration tone in office.”
A final thought, at least for the moment. Let us not forget, although the Arab world will, that Hamas (like Hezbollah in Lebanon) chose to secret their armies and weapons in hospitals, schools and mosques and use civilian populations as shields. Let us not forget the suffering imposed upon the people of Gaza through Israeli blockades and policies prior to the current hostilities. And let us not forget the decades-long abandonment of the Palestinian people by the surrounding Arab governments who see the Palestinians as pawns. There are no heroes.
* Quote of the Week ~ On Monday Barack Obama announced the appointment of Dawn Johnsen to serve as the next Assistant Attorney General for the Office of Legal Counsel (OLC). It is the office that issued the torture memo justifying the behavior of the Bush administration in Guantanamo and other venues of disgrace. In an article in Slate on April 3, 2008 Ms. Johnsen said the following: “But we must regain our ability to feel outrage whenever our government acts lawlessly and devises bogus constitutional arguments for outlandishly expansive presidential power. Otherwise, our own deep cynicism, about the possibility for a President and presidential lawyers to respect legal constraints, itself will threaten the rule of law--and not just for the remaining nine months of this administration, but for years and administrations to come.” Contrary to former Attorney General Alberto Gonzalez, whom I spoke about last week, Dawn Johnsen gets it. Thanks to Think Progress and Salon’s Glenn Greenwald for bringing this to our attention.
Greenwald is a constitutional lawyer who I have come to highly regard. He points out that “The Office of Legal Counsel, inside the Justice Department, is probably the most consequential federal government office that remains relatively obscure. The legal opinions which it issues become, more or less automatically, the official legal position of the Executive Branch. It is his opinion that Johnsen may be Obama’s best pick yet to serve in his administration.
* Hobby of the Week ~ Navel Maniac – The name does not refer to pirates off the coast of Somalia. Navelmaniac.com is a web site featuring photos of peoples’ navels. Since 1999 the photographer and web author stops men and women on the streets of Brussels and, with their permission, takes a photo of their belly button. On behalf of my readers I spent two hours looking at the vast collection and concluded that Belly Button Identification (BBI) could potentially replace finger prints and DNA in crime investigations. I sheepishly and salaciously concentrated on female buttons but sometimes could not tell the difference. I do not know if this brings into question my eyesight, my sexuality or the admonition to “get a life.” Since my travel agent Sheila reads my blog please consider this as a request to provide airfare and hotel accommodations for Brussels and a digital photo of your navel. In a world increasingly burdened with one crisis after another such a benign activity may prove beneficial to one’s mental well-being.
* Question answered ~ a moment of “a hah” – I have wondered why the Republican Party suffered dislocated shoulders throwing their arms around Sarah Palin in support of her vice-presidential nomination. Her Alaskan proximity to Russia seemed lame in establishing her foreign policy credentials. Her almost total lack of experience was a weak argument for “the fresh face” syllogism. Not every Republican is a religious fundamentalist. Finally, I have an answer to my quandary that makes sense. She understands how Republicans do political business (okay, Democrats too). An investigation of Palin appointments by the LA Times found: “More than 100 appointments to state posts — nearly 1 in 4 — went to campaign contributors or their relatives, sometimes without apparent regard to qualifications; Several of Palin’s leading campaign donors received state-subsidized industrial development loans of up to $3.6 million for business ventures of questionable public value.” In being guilty of being redundant I repeat the mantra that until we have public financing of elections, pay-to-play politics will prevail. You betcha!
* When the cupboard is bare one alternative is to eat crow – Marty Weisberg at Slate.com maintains an updated list of Bushisms, comments made by the President that usually do not make much sense. A Bush comment made this week but not yet added to the list is perhaps iconic of all that has gone before it. During a luncheon meeting with the Weekly Standard: “On domestic policy, Bush was asked if he made progress in some areas for which he hasn't and probably won't get credit. Topping his list was his unsuccessful drive in 2005 to reform Social Security.” By “reform” Bush meant “privatize.” He invested considerable time, energy and expense to sell this program to the American people. It proved to be a thorough dud that never came close to acceptance. Given the collapse of financial markets we can only say, “Thank goodness.” Given that a failed initiative tops his list of “making progress” we can only say, “Good riddance.”
* Clean Coal mythology – I recently noted the sludge spill from a coal-fired electric plant in Tennessee could wind up being an environmental disaster. It has not received that much attention in the mainstream news. However, the NY Times learned from the Tennessee Valley authority that in 2007 the plant’s byproducts included: “45,000 pounds of arsenic, 49,000 pounds of lead, 1.4 million pounds of barium, 91,000 pounds of chromium and 140,000 pounds of manganese. Those metals can cause cancer, liver damage and neurological complications, among other health problems.”
The holding pond that yielded the spill contained byproducts accumulating for decades. For days after the spill authorities maintained that the spill was not toxic. We now learn that, “Elevated levels of lead and thallium and what the EPA called “very high” levels of arsenic have been found in water samples taken near the site of the spill.” What should have taken hours to test took days. No surprise and screw the public. “The spill has reignited a debate over whether coal ash should be regulated as a hazardous waste. In 2000, the E.P.A. backed away from its recommendation to do so in the face of industry opposition, promising instead to issue national guidelines for proper ash disposal, though it never did.” No surprise and screw the public.
It is important to note that the Tennessee ash dump is not unique. There are 1300 similar coal ash dump sites across the U.S., most of them unregulated and unmonitored and that contain billions more gallons of fly ash and other byproducts of burning coal. “In 2007, an E.P.A. report identified 63 sites in 26 states where the water was contaminated by heavy metals from such dumps, including three other Tennessee Valley Authority dumps. Environmental advocacy groups have submitted at least 17 additional cases that they say should be added to that list.” This raises two questions: how many other locations are being contaminated since regulation and monitoring is lax to non-existent?; when will the EPA become as responsible to the American people as it is to the energy industry?
A final thought, at least for the moment. The standard for determining the cost of any fuel is the amount of energy it generates. It does not account for the real cost to our society that must include the cost of cleaning up the toxic effects of these fuels. It appears that the cost of addressing the toxicity from coal use in our air, our water and our bodies has yet to enter the calculation. It will be substantial.
* We do not inherit the earth from our ancestors, we borrow it from our children.
Native American Proverb
* It is horrifying that we have to fight our own government to save the environment.
Ansel Adams
Marty Kaplan writing at Huffington Post soul searches the myriad moral and political dilemmas confronting the long-suffering Israelis and Palestinians. For those wondering why Israel launched their Gaza attack at this particular time Lisa Gans writing at Huffington Post suggests: “But the fact that Israel decided to launch this massive attack on the Gaza strip in the waning days of the Bush administration suggests that Tel Aviv, at least, thinks that the days for such an action might be limited… Nothing in the events leading up to the now nine day long assault (as of January 5th) on Gaza created a sense of urgency that justifies the scale and speed of the Israeli action… Rather than being a sign of support for the Gaza offensive, Obama's refusal to comment at all may suggest that, while he is unwilling to interfere in the White House's ability to conduct foreign policy, he may not be supportive of Israel's actions, and that he intends to take a different tone from the current administration tone in office.”
A final thought, at least for the moment. Let us not forget, although the Arab world will, that Hamas (like Hezbollah in Lebanon) chose to secret their armies and weapons in hospitals, schools and mosques and use civilian populations as shields. Let us not forget the suffering imposed upon the people of Gaza through Israeli blockades and policies prior to the current hostilities. And let us not forget the decades-long abandonment of the Palestinian people by the surrounding Arab governments who see the Palestinians as pawns. There are no heroes.
* Quote of the Week ~ On Monday Barack Obama announced the appointment of Dawn Johnsen to serve as the next Assistant Attorney General for the Office of Legal Counsel (OLC). It is the office that issued the torture memo justifying the behavior of the Bush administration in Guantanamo and other venues of disgrace. In an article in Slate on April 3, 2008 Ms. Johnsen said the following: “But we must regain our ability to feel outrage whenever our government acts lawlessly and devises bogus constitutional arguments for outlandishly expansive presidential power. Otherwise, our own deep cynicism, about the possibility for a President and presidential lawyers to respect legal constraints, itself will threaten the rule of law--and not just for the remaining nine months of this administration, but for years and administrations to come.” Contrary to former Attorney General Alberto Gonzalez, whom I spoke about last week, Dawn Johnsen gets it. Thanks to Think Progress and Salon’s Glenn Greenwald for bringing this to our attention.
Greenwald is a constitutional lawyer who I have come to highly regard. He points out that “The Office of Legal Counsel, inside the Justice Department, is probably the most consequential federal government office that remains relatively obscure. The legal opinions which it issues become, more or less automatically, the official legal position of the Executive Branch. It is his opinion that Johnsen may be Obama’s best pick yet to serve in his administration.
* Hobby of the Week ~ Navel Maniac – The name does not refer to pirates off the coast of Somalia. Navelmaniac.com is a web site featuring photos of peoples’ navels. Since 1999 the photographer and web author stops men and women on the streets of Brussels and, with their permission, takes a photo of their belly button. On behalf of my readers I spent two hours looking at the vast collection and concluded that Belly Button Identification (BBI) could potentially replace finger prints and DNA in crime investigations. I sheepishly and salaciously concentrated on female buttons but sometimes could not tell the difference. I do not know if this brings into question my eyesight, my sexuality or the admonition to “get a life.” Since my travel agent Sheila reads my blog please consider this as a request to provide airfare and hotel accommodations for Brussels and a digital photo of your navel. In a world increasingly burdened with one crisis after another such a benign activity may prove beneficial to one’s mental well-being.
* Question answered ~ a moment of “a hah” – I have wondered why the Republican Party suffered dislocated shoulders throwing their arms around Sarah Palin in support of her vice-presidential nomination. Her Alaskan proximity to Russia seemed lame in establishing her foreign policy credentials. Her almost total lack of experience was a weak argument for “the fresh face” syllogism. Not every Republican is a religious fundamentalist. Finally, I have an answer to my quandary that makes sense. She understands how Republicans do political business (okay, Democrats too). An investigation of Palin appointments by the LA Times found: “More than 100 appointments to state posts — nearly 1 in 4 — went to campaign contributors or their relatives, sometimes without apparent regard to qualifications; Several of Palin’s leading campaign donors received state-subsidized industrial development loans of up to $3.6 million for business ventures of questionable public value.” In being guilty of being redundant I repeat the mantra that until we have public financing of elections, pay-to-play politics will prevail. You betcha!
* When the cupboard is bare one alternative is to eat crow – Marty Weisberg at Slate.com maintains an updated list of Bushisms, comments made by the President that usually do not make much sense. A Bush comment made this week but not yet added to the list is perhaps iconic of all that has gone before it. During a luncheon meeting with the Weekly Standard: “On domestic policy, Bush was asked if he made progress in some areas for which he hasn't and probably won't get credit. Topping his list was his unsuccessful drive in 2005 to reform Social Security.” By “reform” Bush meant “privatize.” He invested considerable time, energy and expense to sell this program to the American people. It proved to be a thorough dud that never came close to acceptance. Given the collapse of financial markets we can only say, “Thank goodness.” Given that a failed initiative tops his list of “making progress” we can only say, “Good riddance.”
* Clean Coal mythology – I recently noted the sludge spill from a coal-fired electric plant in Tennessee could wind up being an environmental disaster. It has not received that much attention in the mainstream news. However, the NY Times learned from the Tennessee Valley authority that in 2007 the plant’s byproducts included: “45,000 pounds of arsenic, 49,000 pounds of lead, 1.4 million pounds of barium, 91,000 pounds of chromium and 140,000 pounds of manganese. Those metals can cause cancer, liver damage and neurological complications, among other health problems.”
The holding pond that yielded the spill contained byproducts accumulating for decades. For days after the spill authorities maintained that the spill was not toxic. We now learn that, “Elevated levels of lead and thallium and what the EPA called “very high” levels of arsenic have been found in water samples taken near the site of the spill.” What should have taken hours to test took days. No surprise and screw the public. “The spill has reignited a debate over whether coal ash should be regulated as a hazardous waste. In 2000, the E.P.A. backed away from its recommendation to do so in the face of industry opposition, promising instead to issue national guidelines for proper ash disposal, though it never did.” No surprise and screw the public.
It is important to note that the Tennessee ash dump is not unique. There are 1300 similar coal ash dump sites across the U.S., most of them unregulated and unmonitored and that contain billions more gallons of fly ash and other byproducts of burning coal. “In 2007, an E.P.A. report identified 63 sites in 26 states where the water was contaminated by heavy metals from such dumps, including three other Tennessee Valley Authority dumps. Environmental advocacy groups have submitted at least 17 additional cases that they say should be added to that list.” This raises two questions: how many other locations are being contaminated since regulation and monitoring is lax to non-existent?; when will the EPA become as responsible to the American people as it is to the energy industry?
A final thought, at least for the moment. The standard for determining the cost of any fuel is the amount of energy it generates. It does not account for the real cost to our society that must include the cost of cleaning up the toxic effects of these fuels. It appears that the cost of addressing the toxicity from coal use in our air, our water and our bodies has yet to enter the calculation. It will be substantial.
* We do not inherit the earth from our ancestors, we borrow it from our children.
Native American Proverb
* It is horrifying that we have to fight our own government to save the environment.
Ansel Adams
Sunday, November 16, 2008
* Bumper Sticker of the Week ~ Joe Must Go – Many voices are urging the Democratic Party in the Senate to remove Joe Lieberman from his chairmanship of the Homeland Security committee. I believe that this would be the correct action. His campaigning for John McCain and his questioning Barack Obama’s patriotism are at the bottom of the list of reasons for Joe to go. His pathetic record of leadership on this important committee is the overriding justification for his removal. Intentional incompetence best describes his tenure in this post. As Rachel Maddow on her MSNBC show and Heather writing at Crooks and Liars point out, Lieberman over the last two years, never held hearings on the disastrous US government response to the Katrina hurricane disaster nor did the committee look into no-bid contracts awarded to friends and associates of Dick Cheney and George W. Bush. Many of those contracts were implemented incompetently while the US government was overcharged billions of dollars. As chairman of this committee Lieberman did not represent the interests of the American people. Instead, Lieberman represented the interests of the Bush administration that operated in secret and often outside of legal parameters, and at great cost to you and me, the citizens recovering from a natural disaster, and the military men and women who were underserved as they served this country while in harms way. Joe Must Go.
* Remember Typhoid Mary? ~ Meet Leukemia Dick and some of the other dicks who “serve” America –
Drilling for natural gas, a policy being touted as a means of reducing America's dependence on foreign oil, may contaminate water supplies with unsafe levels of chemicals like benzene, a compound that can cause leukemia, according to an investigation by Pro Publica. The drilling process, pioneered by Dick Cheney's former company Haliburton, uses water pressure and chemicals to break rocks and release the gas. It was exempted by Congress from the Safe Water Act after a 2004 Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) study declared it safe. It now appears that this EPA study was not as conclusive at it claimed to be.
It is well-documented that the EPA often goes out of its way NOT to protect the environment and the American public. It is well-documented that Cheney has been the most ardent advocate for the interests of energy companies and Haliburton. One wonders what influence was imposed upon the EPA that resulted in this exemption from the Safe Water Act. “More than 1,000 other cases of contamination have been documented by courts and state and local governments in Colorado, New Mexico, Alabama, Ohio and Pennsylvania. In one case, a house exploded after hydraulic fracturing created underground passageways and methane seeped into the residential water supply. In other cases, the contamination occurred not from actual drilling below ground, but on the surface, where accidental spills and leaky tanks, trucks and waste pits allowed benzene and other chemicals to leach into streams, springs and water wells.” This is but one example where the interaction of the executive branch, the legislative branch, federal agencies and business failed the American people. The majority of the problems and dangers confronting America today are the result of such failed leadership.
* Fly Me to the Moon ~ it may be safer – Sixteen months ago I commented about the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) being accused of covering up mistakes by air traffic controllers at Dallas-Fort Worth airport. It was discouraging to learn that a federal agency empowered to protect air travelers was actually complicit in reducing safe conditions. At a minimum, one would expect that the release of the report would have resulted in personnel changes and an upgrading of the oversight. Not in the current state of our federal government.
ABC reports a new investigation has found “the misclassifying of safety errors had continued” at Dallas-Fort Worth, that FAA employees continued to hide safety errors. It causes one to wonder if the repeated dereliction of duty by the FAA at Dallas-Fort Worth is it also taking place at other airports. What is happening in Boston, NY, LA, Miami and hundreds of other major airports? I imagine that remedial action will be taken when two or three planes collide, resulting in the death of 639 passengers, 19 crew members, 412 people on the ground and the widespread destruction of a residential neighborhood. The Senate Committee on Homeland Security may even hold hearings. Perhaps Republican Texas Senators John Cornyn and Kay Bailey Hutchinson will exercise their fiduciary responsibility by pressing for an investigation into this problem that bodes dire consequences. Perhaps a new administration will coerce a sense of responsibility and accountability into the performance of federal agencies. That would be a refreshing development.
* Change we can believe in ~ it is up to us – The above examples of broken government brings to mind the often-used and cynical phrase, “You can’t fight City Hall.” It is only a truism if good people do nothing. I was reminded of this while reading an article by Gary Younge in the British newspaper The Guardian titled, “Obama's army of supporters must maintain their level of activism.” Younge notes that the characterization of American political life - the notion of a lazy, contented people who do not vote, care or really understand what is being done in their name and leaving governance to big business, and lobbyists – may be changing. I recommend the article because it notes many changes that have been occurring within the American electorate.
I would suggest that the change Younge identifies is a result of two influences; the devastatingly damaging tenure of George W. Bush and the electric and populist rise of Barack Obama. The Bush years awakened a previously unengaged citizenry and the Obama campaign provided the vehicle to channel the disappointment, the losses, the regression and resulting anger and frustration into a movement for change. This new activist citizenry demands responsible and responsive leadership. It opposes narrow ideology agendas and expects federal leadership to address the major issues that challenge our society – challenges that have been ignored over the last eight years. The higher expectations have brought us a new president, senators and representatives that embrace progressive ideas. Their mission is to overcome a bureaucratic government burdened by politicization, ideology and special interests as well as accepted and expected incompetence. Success will require a continually engaged citizenry that keeps a bright light on the ills, vociferously communicates to elected representatives the change that is required and rewards responsible and responsive representatives with re-election.
* All things Progressive – If you have interest in Progressive ideas and activities I recommend the web site The Bucks/Mont Progressive Events. The editor Tom Ulrich does a terrific job each month identifying Progressive events in the Philadelphia area and national broadcasts, publications and videos.
* All things regressive ~ prejudice, hate, ignorance – Much of the Sarah Palin rhetoric during the presidential campaign appealed to this three-headed Hydra. Those susceptible to divisive discourse reveled in the speeches of Palin and other Republican orators. The forces of hate are as real and alive today as they were 50 and 100 years ago. These forces certainly are not as widespread but, certainly as real. One example of such despicable human behavior is the Ku Klux Klan. This organization, originally spawned to repress African Americans, has broadened its “vision” to include Latinos and other minorities. It is fortunate that we have people such as Morris Dees and his organization The Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC) standing up to forces that debase civil rights and humanity.
In Kentucky on Friday the SPLC gained a decisive jury verdict against members of the KKK, accused of severely beating a Latino in 2006 at a rural county fair. As Dees noted, "The people of Meade County, Kentucky, have spoken loudly and clearly. And what they've said is that ethnic violence has no place in our society, that those who promote hate and violence will be held accountable and made to pay a steep price." The verdict against Imperial Klans of America (IKA), Imperial Wizard Ron Edwards and two former KKK members who have already served prison terms for their involvement was $2.5 million. It is likely the judgment will cripple IKA’s 16 chapters that are located throughout eight states.
The weakening of a KKK group is encouraging but the ugliness of hate that infects the land of the free and the home of the brave will not be eradicated in our lifetime. As noted in an article at the Huffington Post the election of Barack Obama has spurred hundreds of race threats and crimes that include, “Cross burnings. Schoolchildren chanting ‘Assassinate Obama.’ Black figures hung from nooses. Racial epithets scrawled on homes and cars.” America has come a long way in civil rights and human relations. Gay rights are improving with much still to be achieved. There is much to be proud of in America but the road ahead will not be free of prejudice, hate and ignorance. It is a flaw in the human condition that may never be overcome.
* “You cannot hate other people without hating your self.”
Oprah Winfrey
* Remember Typhoid Mary? ~ Meet Leukemia Dick and some of the other dicks who “serve” America –
Drilling for natural gas, a policy being touted as a means of reducing America's dependence on foreign oil, may contaminate water supplies with unsafe levels of chemicals like benzene, a compound that can cause leukemia, according to an investigation by Pro Publica. The drilling process, pioneered by Dick Cheney's former company Haliburton, uses water pressure and chemicals to break rocks and release the gas. It was exempted by Congress from the Safe Water Act after a 2004 Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) study declared it safe. It now appears that this EPA study was not as conclusive at it claimed to be.
It is well-documented that the EPA often goes out of its way NOT to protect the environment and the American public. It is well-documented that Cheney has been the most ardent advocate for the interests of energy companies and Haliburton. One wonders what influence was imposed upon the EPA that resulted in this exemption from the Safe Water Act. “More than 1,000 other cases of contamination have been documented by courts and state and local governments in Colorado, New Mexico, Alabama, Ohio and Pennsylvania. In one case, a house exploded after hydraulic fracturing created underground passageways and methane seeped into the residential water supply. In other cases, the contamination occurred not from actual drilling below ground, but on the surface, where accidental spills and leaky tanks, trucks and waste pits allowed benzene and other chemicals to leach into streams, springs and water wells.” This is but one example where the interaction of the executive branch, the legislative branch, federal agencies and business failed the American people. The majority of the problems and dangers confronting America today are the result of such failed leadership.
* Fly Me to the Moon ~ it may be safer – Sixteen months ago I commented about the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) being accused of covering up mistakes by air traffic controllers at Dallas-Fort Worth airport. It was discouraging to learn that a federal agency empowered to protect air travelers was actually complicit in reducing safe conditions. At a minimum, one would expect that the release of the report would have resulted in personnel changes and an upgrading of the oversight. Not in the current state of our federal government.
ABC reports a new investigation has found “the misclassifying of safety errors had continued” at Dallas-Fort Worth, that FAA employees continued to hide safety errors. It causes one to wonder if the repeated dereliction of duty by the FAA at Dallas-Fort Worth is it also taking place at other airports. What is happening in Boston, NY, LA, Miami and hundreds of other major airports? I imagine that remedial action will be taken when two or three planes collide, resulting in the death of 639 passengers, 19 crew members, 412 people on the ground and the widespread destruction of a residential neighborhood. The Senate Committee on Homeland Security may even hold hearings. Perhaps Republican Texas Senators John Cornyn and Kay Bailey Hutchinson will exercise their fiduciary responsibility by pressing for an investigation into this problem that bodes dire consequences. Perhaps a new administration will coerce a sense of responsibility and accountability into the performance of federal agencies. That would be a refreshing development.
* Change we can believe in ~ it is up to us – The above examples of broken government brings to mind the often-used and cynical phrase, “You can’t fight City Hall.” It is only a truism if good people do nothing. I was reminded of this while reading an article by Gary Younge in the British newspaper The Guardian titled, “Obama's army of supporters must maintain their level of activism.” Younge notes that the characterization of American political life - the notion of a lazy, contented people who do not vote, care or really understand what is being done in their name and leaving governance to big business, and lobbyists – may be changing. I recommend the article because it notes many changes that have been occurring within the American electorate.
I would suggest that the change Younge identifies is a result of two influences; the devastatingly damaging tenure of George W. Bush and the electric and populist rise of Barack Obama. The Bush years awakened a previously unengaged citizenry and the Obama campaign provided the vehicle to channel the disappointment, the losses, the regression and resulting anger and frustration into a movement for change. This new activist citizenry demands responsible and responsive leadership. It opposes narrow ideology agendas and expects federal leadership to address the major issues that challenge our society – challenges that have been ignored over the last eight years. The higher expectations have brought us a new president, senators and representatives that embrace progressive ideas. Their mission is to overcome a bureaucratic government burdened by politicization, ideology and special interests as well as accepted and expected incompetence. Success will require a continually engaged citizenry that keeps a bright light on the ills, vociferously communicates to elected representatives the change that is required and rewards responsible and responsive representatives with re-election.
* All things Progressive – If you have interest in Progressive ideas and activities I recommend the web site The Bucks/Mont Progressive Events. The editor Tom Ulrich does a terrific job each month identifying Progressive events in the Philadelphia area and national broadcasts, publications and videos.
* All things regressive ~ prejudice, hate, ignorance – Much of the Sarah Palin rhetoric during the presidential campaign appealed to this three-headed Hydra. Those susceptible to divisive discourse reveled in the speeches of Palin and other Republican orators. The forces of hate are as real and alive today as they were 50 and 100 years ago. These forces certainly are not as widespread but, certainly as real. One example of such despicable human behavior is the Ku Klux Klan. This organization, originally spawned to repress African Americans, has broadened its “vision” to include Latinos and other minorities. It is fortunate that we have people such as Morris Dees and his organization The Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC) standing up to forces that debase civil rights and humanity.
In Kentucky on Friday the SPLC gained a decisive jury verdict against members of the KKK, accused of severely beating a Latino in 2006 at a rural county fair. As Dees noted, "The people of Meade County, Kentucky, have spoken loudly and clearly. And what they've said is that ethnic violence has no place in our society, that those who promote hate and violence will be held accountable and made to pay a steep price." The verdict against Imperial Klans of America (IKA), Imperial Wizard Ron Edwards and two former KKK members who have already served prison terms for their involvement was $2.5 million. It is likely the judgment will cripple IKA’s 16 chapters that are located throughout eight states.
The weakening of a KKK group is encouraging but the ugliness of hate that infects the land of the free and the home of the brave will not be eradicated in our lifetime. As noted in an article at the Huffington Post the election of Barack Obama has spurred hundreds of race threats and crimes that include, “Cross burnings. Schoolchildren chanting ‘Assassinate Obama.’ Black figures hung from nooses. Racial epithets scrawled on homes and cars.” America has come a long way in civil rights and human relations. Gay rights are improving with much still to be achieved. There is much to be proud of in America but the road ahead will not be free of prejudice, hate and ignorance. It is a flaw in the human condition that may never be overcome.
* “You cannot hate other people without hating your self.”
Oprah Winfrey
Saturday, March 8, 2008
*Celebrating Women – Today is International Women’s Day (IWD) and thousands of events are being held around the world. It is a united action for global equality and change inspiring women to achieve their full potential. The movement began in 1908 when 15,000 women marched through New York City demanding shorter hours, better pay and voting rights. Sue Katz at the website Consenting Adult offers a history of this movement and the IWD link provides specifics of the international scope this movement has attained.
* Kleptomaniacs, reprobates and self-policing – I had to smile this week when I received an email from Common Cause titled “Can Congress Police Itself?” The answer to the question and the point of the email is NO. House Resolution 895 would create an independent Office of Congressional Ethics but a number of Representatives killed a planned vote on the measure. Lack of ethics and ethics oversight in Congress is more than well-documented. Only you and I have the possibility of affecting a change. It will only occur by us demanding reform. Common Cause crafted a letter that individuals can send to editors and it also gives one a good background prior to communicating with one’s Representative. Contact information for your congressman can be found at VoteSmart.org.
Update – Late this week we learned that a revised ethics bill is being proposed. Among its many weaknesses the “independent” oversight panel would have to get approval from the Ethics Committee before it could take action. This is the same committee that has done nothing over the last several years while covering the southern ends of congressional members. When Nancy Pelosi became Speaker of the House she emphatically promised that the Democrats would create meaningful ethics oversight of representatives. What we are emphatically getting was sourced at the southern end of a bull.
* Gunfight at the OK Corral ~ sis, boom, ba – I have read several articles suggesting that the massacres at Northern Illinois University and Virginia Tech would have been avoided if students and teachers were allowed to carry concealed weapons on campus. As I picture such a scenario a nut walks into the classroom with weapons and starts shooting. Five or ten or twenty people in the classroom draw their weapons and in panic start firing. Would anyone be left standing? Did anyone stop to “think” about the consequences on college campuses of so many individuals carrying weapons and the deaths and injuries that would result from this cowboy “solution”? I suggest that for fraternity rush week bulletproof vests be issued along with beanies. School colors and logos would be optional. For an adult approach to guns on campus I recommend The Brady Campaign position on the subject titled “No Gun Left Behind”. Because guns are prohibited on campuses, colleges are actually safer than the communities that surround them. Perhaps a better approach to minimizing violent psycho behavior would be to make it more difficult for individuals, especially those with criminal or mental illness history, to obtain guns.
* Drive-through mastectomies ~ drive-by health plans – The time is now for congress to change health insurance company policies that result in women who have had mastectomies being forced to leave the hospital before they and their doctors feel they are ready. MyLifetime.com has already generated 20 million signatures urging congress to pass the Breast Cancer Patient Protection Act of 2007 (S.459/H.R 758) which includes no mandates but allows a woman and her doctor to decide if she is best off going home or staying in the hospital for at least 48 hours after having a mastectomy. You can sign the petition for this important and humane legislation at the above link.
* Iraq cost update – When we see figures for the cost of the Iraq war there are so many zeroes involved that few can relate to the magnitude of treasure that George W. Bush is flushing into this quagmire. Democratic Caucus's Senate Journal breaks the cost down so that even I can relate to the numbers. The war is currently costing: $332,258,064 Per Day; $13,844,086 Per Hour; $230,734 Per Minute; $3,845 Per Second. In the time it takes to read this paragraph almost $100,000 will be spent. AND, this is not even the greatest cost. U.S. military lives lost total 3,972. U.S. military casualties total 29,080 and as I noted in a previous post this does not include most of the service men and women suffering mental injuries which would probably double the casualty figure. When the President says that we are fighting them over there so we won’t have to fight them here appropriate questions would be, “What the hell are you talking about?” and “Why do you hate America?”
* Bush protégé ~ lessons in leadership - In a letter to Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, House Oversight and Reform Chairman Henry Waxman (D-CA) requested documents relating to an order issued in April 2007 by Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al Maliki’s office that effectively immunizes the Iraqi president, the Council of Ministers, and any current or former ministers from being prosecuted for corruption without the Prime Minister’s consent. George and Nouri sure know how to issue signing statements and keep themselves and their administrations above the law. In a related story two former high-ranking Shiite officials in the Iraqi government have had charges against them dropped. They are accused of kidnapping and murdering scores of Sunnis. It is reported that there is extensive evidence against them. It tells the Sunnis and Kurds that the Shia can do anything and there are no repercussions. It does not bode well for reconciliation. In the Waxman letter it is noted that corruption in Iraq continues to worsen and is responsible for stopping the process of reconstruction. George may have not been very successful exporting democracy but he is an international icon for exporting criminality.
* Derriere Orifice of the Week ~ Co-Winners John McCain and his supporter, Pastor John Hagee - Hagee receives this recognition for virulent remarks about Catholics (they worship a whore), gays (they are responsible for Katrina) and Jews (if interested read the link, I am getting nauseous). McCain earns extra special mention for his refusal to denounce the comments and renounce the endorsement of this soulless miscreant and panderer of hate. Obama had the scruples to renounce Louis Farrakhan’s endorsement. Shame on Mr. McStraight Talk. The Carpet Bagger Report has more on Hagee the Horrible.
* Strengthening democracy in America - Not long ago I commented on the Federal Communications Commission adopting new rules that would allow current media conglomerates to further acquire and consolidate their dominance of the news. We know that a democracy relies on the free exchange of ideas and independent reporting. Rupert Murdoch’s FOX News is an example of the abuse of media power for political ends. This week the Senate introduced legislation that would reverse the FCC’s recent decision. You can sign a petition to your senators supporting this legislation at Stop Big Media. Democracy is a participation sport. Here is an opportunity to get in the game.
*Can you hear me now? ~ you can be heard – Cell phone companies have set the rules in their favor and it costs us a great deal of money – non-pro-rated termination fees, hidden charges, blocking services that a competitor may have available, cell phone locking (if you switch providers you phone is worthless). Congress is currently investigating the wireless market place. Hear Us Now is a project of Consumers Union and they have a petition you can sign urging Congress to mandate reform in this industry. Cell phones can work better for less money as demonstrated in Europe. Until now Congress has only heard from wireless lobbyists. The telephone utility industry spent at least $31.4 million lobbying in 2007. That is a lot of clout to overcome. Speak up.
* Your gasoline dollars at work ~ The Heartland Institute just concluded its international conference of global warming deniers. Their main objective appears to be “proof” that recent climate change stems from natural causes – an assertion in conflict with the overwhelming majority of scientists around the world. What is especially interesting about Heartland is that it is funded by ExxonMobil and right-wing foundations. I am puzzled by those who devote so many resources to deny climate/environmental problems. Regardless of whether the problem is human or natural influence we share a world that is degrading. Why not contribute to alleviating the problem? I just don’t get it!
* The silence is deafening - For several years I have wondered privately and in this blog where is the outrage from the unknowable but huge number of federal employees whose work and reputation have been trashed by the political appointees, flunkies and drones of the Bush administration. Take your pick - EPA, FDA, FEMA, Dept. of Agriculture, Consumer Products Safety Commission, Dept. of the Interior, the military, Dept. of the Treasury, Dept. of Justice... dedicated workers, experts, scientists and professionals who have been ignored and overridden. Their missions neutered. At last, and in my opinion too little too late, one can sense a heart beat. “In a stinging rebuke, unions representing the vast majority of U.S. Environmental Protection Agency scientists, attorneys and other specialists have vowed to cut off future discussions with embattled Administrator Stephen Johnson, according to a letter released today by Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility (PEER).” Among their complaints with Johnson; “Refusing to enforce the agency’s “Principles of Scientific Integrity” involving “fluoride drinking water standards, organophosphate pesticide registration, control of mercury emissions from power plants, and “the California waiver decision where the unions contend Johnson has allowed outside influences to preclude “good science in [EPA] decision making”; and “Using in-house legal staff to retaliate against whistleblowers and union officers.” I expect that once we have a new president it will take much time and effort to rehabilitate the many federal departments that have been compromised by the Bush Administration.
* The politicization is debilitating – An example of the point made above: Senior scientists at the Center for Disease Control and outside experts asserted this week that the leadership of Dr. Julie Gerberding, head of the CDC, is responsible (poor management and politicization) for the loss of the agency's top scientists and demoralizing many of the CDC's 7,000 employees.
* The self-interest is blinding – In television ads this week (americablog has the details) Hillary Clinton endorses John McCain for president over Barack Obama. I commented recently that I personally have had enough of the Bushes and the Clintons – it is approaching 20 years. Although I would take Hillary over McCain she makes the choice almost difficult. That was an overstatement but reflects my problems with her and her low-road campaign. Call me an idealist but I prefer that the party I support not operate from the gutter most recently dominated by the Republicans. They wave the flag to dissipate the stench of their actions. I know that I have had enough of it and I believe that the vast majority of Americans are equally satiated. It has been too long since one could have pride in their political leaders and especially their President.
*No pleiad to be found – My home page offers the definition of a new word each day. On Thursday the word was “pleiad” – a group of usually seven illustrious or brilliant persons or things. As I survey the seven years of the Bush administration I find no evidence that this word would be applicable. When I have time I will look up the word “maladroit”.
* Speaking of maladroit – The Senate is close to approving “the most far-reaching changes to the nation's product safety system in a generation”. Under the Bush administration the Consumer Product Safety Commission has functioned with antiquated testing facilities and fewer than half the employees it had in 1980. Few among us believe that industry can police itself and even fewer believe that as our imports from mainly unregulated countries grows exponentially that there should be less testing. The George Bush formula has proven to be a George Bush formula.
* The fragility of democracy ~ the power of fear – David T. Z. Mindich has written a provocative article at alternet.com titled “Could Our Democracy Withstand Another 9/11?” I believe it is worth a read as he discusses the rise to dictator by Hitler in 1933 and conditions we find in our society today. The burning of the Reichstag enabled Hitler to go from Chancellor to dictator in an amazingly brief period, all predicated upon fear of Communists. “Within 60 days, Hitler had begun the process of arbitrary arrests, warrantless surveillance and searches, incarceration without charges, suspension of habeas corpus, the implementation of torture, the mustering of a private army, and was pushing through the passage of the "Enabling Act," which gave Hitler and his henchmen the power to ignore the legislative branch and write laws themselves.” If some of these occurrences have not caught your attention perhaps you have been watching too many reruns of American Idol. No one is accusing America of being a fascist state but the argument can be made that we are in a fascist shift. Mr. Mindich notes, “Germans made a decision that can be summed up by words from Benjamin Franklin's 18th century aphorism: they chose to "give up Essential Liberty to purchase a little Temporary Safety" and they received neither.”
* "When fascism comes to America, it will be wrapped in the flag and carrying the cross." Sinclair Lewis (1885 – 1951)
* Kleptomaniacs, reprobates and self-policing – I had to smile this week when I received an email from Common Cause titled “Can Congress Police Itself?” The answer to the question and the point of the email is NO. House Resolution 895 would create an independent Office of Congressional Ethics but a number of Representatives killed a planned vote on the measure. Lack of ethics and ethics oversight in Congress is more than well-documented. Only you and I have the possibility of affecting a change. It will only occur by us demanding reform. Common Cause crafted a letter that individuals can send to editors and it also gives one a good background prior to communicating with one’s Representative. Contact information for your congressman can be found at VoteSmart.org.
Update – Late this week we learned that a revised ethics bill is being proposed. Among its many weaknesses the “independent” oversight panel would have to get approval from the Ethics Committee before it could take action. This is the same committee that has done nothing over the last several years while covering the southern ends of congressional members. When Nancy Pelosi became Speaker of the House she emphatically promised that the Democrats would create meaningful ethics oversight of representatives. What we are emphatically getting was sourced at the southern end of a bull.
* Gunfight at the OK Corral ~ sis, boom, ba – I have read several articles suggesting that the massacres at Northern Illinois University and Virginia Tech would have been avoided if students and teachers were allowed to carry concealed weapons on campus. As I picture such a scenario a nut walks into the classroom with weapons and starts shooting. Five or ten or twenty people in the classroom draw their weapons and in panic start firing. Would anyone be left standing? Did anyone stop to “think” about the consequences on college campuses of so many individuals carrying weapons and the deaths and injuries that would result from this cowboy “solution”? I suggest that for fraternity rush week bulletproof vests be issued along with beanies. School colors and logos would be optional. For an adult approach to guns on campus I recommend The Brady Campaign position on the subject titled “No Gun Left Behind”. Because guns are prohibited on campuses, colleges are actually safer than the communities that surround them. Perhaps a better approach to minimizing violent psycho behavior would be to make it more difficult for individuals, especially those with criminal or mental illness history, to obtain guns.
* Drive-through mastectomies ~ drive-by health plans – The time is now for congress to change health insurance company policies that result in women who have had mastectomies being forced to leave the hospital before they and their doctors feel they are ready. MyLifetime.com has already generated 20 million signatures urging congress to pass the Breast Cancer Patient Protection Act of 2007 (S.459/H.R 758) which includes no mandates but allows a woman and her doctor to decide if she is best off going home or staying in the hospital for at least 48 hours after having a mastectomy. You can sign the petition for this important and humane legislation at the above link.
* Iraq cost update – When we see figures for the cost of the Iraq war there are so many zeroes involved that few can relate to the magnitude of treasure that George W. Bush is flushing into this quagmire. Democratic Caucus's Senate Journal breaks the cost down so that even I can relate to the numbers. The war is currently costing: $332,258,064 Per Day; $13,844,086 Per Hour; $230,734 Per Minute; $3,845 Per Second. In the time it takes to read this paragraph almost $100,000 will be spent. AND, this is not even the greatest cost. U.S. military lives lost total 3,972. U.S. military casualties total 29,080 and as I noted in a previous post this does not include most of the service men and women suffering mental injuries which would probably double the casualty figure. When the President says that we are fighting them over there so we won’t have to fight them here appropriate questions would be, “What the hell are you talking about?” and “Why do you hate America?”
* Bush protégé ~ lessons in leadership - In a letter to Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, House Oversight and Reform Chairman Henry Waxman (D-CA) requested documents relating to an order issued in April 2007 by Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al Maliki’s office that effectively immunizes the Iraqi president, the Council of Ministers, and any current or former ministers from being prosecuted for corruption without the Prime Minister’s consent. George and Nouri sure know how to issue signing statements and keep themselves and their administrations above the law. In a related story two former high-ranking Shiite officials in the Iraqi government have had charges against them dropped. They are accused of kidnapping and murdering scores of Sunnis. It is reported that there is extensive evidence against them. It tells the Sunnis and Kurds that the Shia can do anything and there are no repercussions. It does not bode well for reconciliation. In the Waxman letter it is noted that corruption in Iraq continues to worsen and is responsible for stopping the process of reconstruction. George may have not been very successful exporting democracy but he is an international icon for exporting criminality.
* Derriere Orifice of the Week ~ Co-Winners John McCain and his supporter, Pastor John Hagee - Hagee receives this recognition for virulent remarks about Catholics (they worship a whore), gays (they are responsible for Katrina) and Jews (if interested read the link, I am getting nauseous). McCain earns extra special mention for his refusal to denounce the comments and renounce the endorsement of this soulless miscreant and panderer of hate. Obama had the scruples to renounce Louis Farrakhan’s endorsement. Shame on Mr. McStraight Talk. The Carpet Bagger Report has more on Hagee the Horrible.
* Strengthening democracy in America - Not long ago I commented on the Federal Communications Commission adopting new rules that would allow current media conglomerates to further acquire and consolidate their dominance of the news. We know that a democracy relies on the free exchange of ideas and independent reporting. Rupert Murdoch’s FOX News is an example of the abuse of media power for political ends. This week the Senate introduced legislation that would reverse the FCC’s recent decision. You can sign a petition to your senators supporting this legislation at Stop Big Media. Democracy is a participation sport. Here is an opportunity to get in the game.
*Can you hear me now? ~ you can be heard – Cell phone companies have set the rules in their favor and it costs us a great deal of money – non-pro-rated termination fees, hidden charges, blocking services that a competitor may have available, cell phone locking (if you switch providers you phone is worthless). Congress is currently investigating the wireless market place. Hear Us Now is a project of Consumers Union and they have a petition you can sign urging Congress to mandate reform in this industry. Cell phones can work better for less money as demonstrated in Europe. Until now Congress has only heard from wireless lobbyists. The telephone utility industry spent at least $31.4 million lobbying in 2007. That is a lot of clout to overcome. Speak up.
* Your gasoline dollars at work ~ The Heartland Institute just concluded its international conference of global warming deniers. Their main objective appears to be “proof” that recent climate change stems from natural causes – an assertion in conflict with the overwhelming majority of scientists around the world. What is especially interesting about Heartland is that it is funded by ExxonMobil and right-wing foundations. I am puzzled by those who devote so many resources to deny climate/environmental problems. Regardless of whether the problem is human or natural influence we share a world that is degrading. Why not contribute to alleviating the problem? I just don’t get it!
* The silence is deafening - For several years I have wondered privately and in this blog where is the outrage from the unknowable but huge number of federal employees whose work and reputation have been trashed by the political appointees, flunkies and drones of the Bush administration. Take your pick - EPA, FDA, FEMA, Dept. of Agriculture, Consumer Products Safety Commission, Dept. of the Interior, the military, Dept. of the Treasury, Dept. of Justice... dedicated workers, experts, scientists and professionals who have been ignored and overridden. Their missions neutered. At last, and in my opinion too little too late, one can sense a heart beat. “In a stinging rebuke, unions representing the vast majority of U.S. Environmental Protection Agency scientists, attorneys and other specialists have vowed to cut off future discussions with embattled Administrator Stephen Johnson, according to a letter released today by Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility (PEER).” Among their complaints with Johnson; “Refusing to enforce the agency’s “Principles of Scientific Integrity” involving “fluoride drinking water standards, organophosphate pesticide registration, control of mercury emissions from power plants, and “the California waiver decision where the unions contend Johnson has allowed outside influences to preclude “good science in [EPA] decision making”; and “Using in-house legal staff to retaliate against whistleblowers and union officers.” I expect that once we have a new president it will take much time and effort to rehabilitate the many federal departments that have been compromised by the Bush Administration.
* The politicization is debilitating – An example of the point made above: Senior scientists at the Center for Disease Control and outside experts asserted this week that the leadership of Dr. Julie Gerberding, head of the CDC, is responsible (poor management and politicization) for the loss of the agency's top scientists and demoralizing many of the CDC's 7,000 employees.
* The self-interest is blinding – In television ads this week (americablog has the details) Hillary Clinton endorses John McCain for president over Barack Obama. I commented recently that I personally have had enough of the Bushes and the Clintons – it is approaching 20 years. Although I would take Hillary over McCain she makes the choice almost difficult. That was an overstatement but reflects my problems with her and her low-road campaign. Call me an idealist but I prefer that the party I support not operate from the gutter most recently dominated by the Republicans. They wave the flag to dissipate the stench of their actions. I know that I have had enough of it and I believe that the vast majority of Americans are equally satiated. It has been too long since one could have pride in their political leaders and especially their President.
*No pleiad to be found – My home page offers the definition of a new word each day. On Thursday the word was “pleiad” – a group of usually seven illustrious or brilliant persons or things. As I survey the seven years of the Bush administration I find no evidence that this word would be applicable. When I have time I will look up the word “maladroit”.
* Speaking of maladroit – The Senate is close to approving “the most far-reaching changes to the nation's product safety system in a generation”. Under the Bush administration the Consumer Product Safety Commission has functioned with antiquated testing facilities and fewer than half the employees it had in 1980. Few among us believe that industry can police itself and even fewer believe that as our imports from mainly unregulated countries grows exponentially that there should be less testing. The George Bush formula has proven to be a George Bush formula.
* The fragility of democracy ~ the power of fear – David T. Z. Mindich has written a provocative article at alternet.com titled “Could Our Democracy Withstand Another 9/11?” I believe it is worth a read as he discusses the rise to dictator by Hitler in 1933 and conditions we find in our society today. The burning of the Reichstag enabled Hitler to go from Chancellor to dictator in an amazingly brief period, all predicated upon fear of Communists. “Within 60 days, Hitler had begun the process of arbitrary arrests, warrantless surveillance and searches, incarceration without charges, suspension of habeas corpus, the implementation of torture, the mustering of a private army, and was pushing through the passage of the "Enabling Act," which gave Hitler and his henchmen the power to ignore the legislative branch and write laws themselves.” If some of these occurrences have not caught your attention perhaps you have been watching too many reruns of American Idol. No one is accusing America of being a fascist state but the argument can be made that we are in a fascist shift. Mr. Mindich notes, “Germans made a decision that can be summed up by words from Benjamin Franklin's 18th century aphorism: they chose to "give up Essential Liberty to purchase a little Temporary Safety" and they received neither.”
* "When fascism comes to America, it will be wrapped in the flag and carrying the cross." Sinclair Lewis (1885 – 1951)
Sunday, March 2, 2008
* Afghanistan ~ No Way to Treat A Lady – In 2002 the Americans and the British invaded Afghanistan to rid the country of the Taliban - enablers of al Qaeda training and infamous for repressive treatment of its citizens, especially women. A report by the Independent (UK) newspaper details how life for women in Afghanistan is worse than ever: “Grinding poverty and the escalating war is driving an increasing number of Afghan families to sell their daughters into forced marriages; Girls as young as six are being married into a life of slavery and rape; Violent attacks against females, usually domestic, are at epidemic proportions with 87 per cent of females complaining of such abuse – half of it sexual; The illiteracy rate among women is 88 per cent with just 5 per cent of girls attending secondary school; Maternal mortality rates – one in nine women dies in childbirth – are the highest in the world alongside Sierra Leone; Afghanistan is the only country in the world with a higher suicide rate among women than men.” There certainly is no easy solution to a problem steeped in history, culture, radical religion and abject poverty. At a minimum, when the Bush administration says that “we” are making progress in Afghanistan we can ask, “What the hell are you talking about?” I do wonder if current conditions would be as pathetic had Bush not prematurely pulled military resources out of Afghanistan to invade Iraq thereby allowing the Taliban to re-establish itself along with criminal and other radical elements in that society.
* Underwater – is your home drowning, are you drowning? – “Underwater” is a term used to describe a house that is worth less than the amount of money owed on it. Moody’s Economy.com reports that 8.8 million homeowners (10.3% of the total) are in this situation, double the percentage from last year and the worst since the Depression. There certainly is enough blame to go around – intentionally lax federal oversight, inattentive members of Congress reliant on campaign donations from the financial industry, greed and lack of ethics exhibited by national banks and mortgage companies, and too many home buyers making naive and uninformed purchasing decisions. A number of fixes are being proposed and I would guess that whatever the “fix” (bailout for borrower or lender) it will tap into the taxpayers’ pockets. Glub!
* Emotional isolationism ~ mental well-being – On Saturday morning I opened my Yahoo home page and saw the following headlines: Israel Kills 31 Palestinians in Gaza Raid; Suicide Bomber kills 38 at Pakistan Funeral; Guatemala Bus Plunges off Cliff, 37 Killed. On most mornings I would treat these headlines as if they were sports scores, possibly making a brief mental note and moving on to the weather report. Like the news about genocide in Darfur and factional assassinations in Iraq, after a while they are statistics that cease to resonate in one’s emotional world. The over 100 deaths the day before involved no one that I knew and there is nothing that I could have done about it. But this morning was different as I recalled having lived in Guatemala and driven the narrow, winding roads that snake through the mountains. I recall having the frightful thought when traveling in this beautiful and culturally fascinating country that going off the road meant a drop of 1000 feet or more with little chance of survival. I stopped to read this article and then moved on to the weather report.
* Mitt Romney wins ~ by the skin of his teeth – At the 143rd annual Midwinter Meeting the Chicago Dental Society selected Romney as having the best smile of all the presidential candidates. The former governor of Massachusetts is also expected to be the choice of the Illinois Republican Hair Stylists Association when all three of them meet at a Starbucks next month.
* Modern health care ~ antiquated health insurance – The marvel of DNA testing allows a person to learn if an elevated risk of an inherited disease exists. Such knowledge would allow individuals to make more informed healthcare decisions. However, fear of genetic predispositions on health insurance costs or total loss of coverage lead many to avoid such testing. This is the state of health insurance today where employers or health insurers can discriminate against an individual because of the costs that individual may generate. A conservative perspective might be that if a person has an illness that could lead to substantial or catastrophic costs they alone should be responsible. I strongly disagree with such a mentality and argue that this is not the path that America has chosen. As a society we pool the cost of our national defense, our protection from crime and fire, basic education, and a long list of other services and protections essential to our well-being. Healthcare should be no different. A plan for health insurance that protects all Americans in an equitable manner should replace the current health insurance system where profit-driven objectives do not serve the common good.
* Derriere Orifice of the Week ~ the Environmental Protection Agency - What would you call a person who knowingly uses a broken condom? Answer: a fool. What would you call a government agency mandated to protect the environment and the citizens it serves that continually facilitates policies harmful to both? Answer: the EPA. “Under pressure from agriculture industry lobbyists and lawmakers from agricultural states, the Environmental Protection Agency wants to drop requirements that factory farms report their emissions of toxic gases, despite findings by the agency's scientists that the gases pose a health threat... The EPA acknowledges that the emissions can pose a threat to people living and working nearby, but it says local emergency responders don't use the reports, making them unnecessary.” We have repeatedly seen such asinine decisions supported by asinine justifications that only serve the economic interest of private industry. Almost always these decisions go against the judgment and advice of the EPA’s own and independent scientists. Sometimes the courts reverse these dangerous decisions but the process is costly, time consuming and allows dangerous activity to continue until EPA rulings are nullified. America currently lacks a balance between private and public interest. This is not an issue of less government. It is an issue of irresponsible government.
* Yes Virginia, Edward R .Murrow is gone - Watching the Clinton/Obama debate this past week the mediocre state of television news/political interviewers was on display in the form of Tim Russert. Tough questions are fine and even preferred but this observer felt that many of Russert’s questions were framed so that he was focus of this event. Such an approach also left me with questions about his objectivity and yearning for the likes of Jim Lehrer of PBS. Our broadcast fourth estate is far from first rate.
* No merit in consistency – On Monday the National Governors Association met with President Bush. “Bush rebuffed appeals from the nation’s governors to increase spending on roads, bridges and other public works as a way to revive the economy.” He wanted to see the effects of his own stimulus package before supporting new measures (some would call it self-stimulation). The President refused to address the fact that London Bridge is falling down along with much of the country’s infrastructure. Like the war in Iraq, no immigration solutions, devastating deficits, etc., etc., etc. the 43rd president of the U.S. will retire to his planned $200 million G. W. Bush Library at SMU in Texas where he can install a 43 foot high photo of himself in flight gear - “Mission Accomplished”.
* Merit in involvement - If you have a desire to be more knowledgeable and involved in your community, each month Tom Ulrich provides a calendar of all things politically progressive for people living in the Pennsylvania counties of Philadelphia, Bucks and Montgomery. You can join his mailing list by contacting him at tomulrich@mybluelight.com.
*Obama speaks about Israel – Steve Benen at caprpetbagger.com brought to my attention comments that Barack Obama made this week to about 100 members of the Jewish community in Cleveland. I was particularly interested because for some time I have had a nagging sense that America’s hard-line, ask no questions support of Israel relative to the Palestine question does not especially serve the interest of Israelis, Palestinians or Americans. There are many within Israel and the U.S. who share this perspective. In part Obama said: “I think there is a strain within the pro-Israel community that says unless you adopt an unwavering pro-Likud (right wing) approach to Israel that you’re anti-Israel and that can’t be the measure of our friendship with Israel. If we cannot have an honest dialogue about how do we achieve these goals, then we’re not going to make progress.”
Some of the most influential people in the so-called “pro-Israel” block in the U.S. are neocons such as William Kristol, Paul Wolfowitz, Douglas Feith, Richard Perle and members of the Bush administration (current and former) who had beaten the drums to invade Iraq. We have clearly seen the results of such myopic war-mongering. Recall when Israel, with full support from Bush and Secretary of State Rice, destroyed so much of the infrastructure of Lebanon. To what end? For decades I have been a supporter of Israel – a country with every right to defend its citizens from suicide attacks and missiles. However, there are valid questions to be asked. Does the expansion of settlements still make sense? Do policies that worsen the condition of Palestinian lives make sense? Is this not one of the reasons that Hamas came to power? It is time for leaders in Israel and America to explore new solutions. Stubborn adherence to unsuccessful policy does not lead to progress.
* Surgeon General of the Army Eric B. Schoomaker and I are red-faced – I am embarrassed because I naively believed it was the function of the Department of Veterans Affairs to be helpful to injured veterans. NPR reports that an Army team from Washington ordered VA officials at Fort Drum (NY) to stop counseling soldiers on their disability paperwork because when they did the soldiers received better benefits and this was a conflict of interest. Schoomaker flatly denied that it was the Army that told the VA to stop this help. Oops. NPR obtained a four-page VA document that proves the denial to be false. There is more than one conflict of interest in this saga – especially conflicted are the interests of brave men and women who served our country and have paid a heavy price. When our military and political leaders speak of honor and fidelity and supporting the troops they should in the same breath mention their own shame, dishonor, malfeasance and disgrace.
* It is not so much what you believe in that matters, as the way in which you believe it and proceed to translate that belief into action. Lin Yutang, Chinese writer and inventor (1895 – 1976)
* Underwater – is your home drowning, are you drowning? – “Underwater” is a term used to describe a house that is worth less than the amount of money owed on it. Moody’s Economy.com reports that 8.8 million homeowners (10.3% of the total) are in this situation, double the percentage from last year and the worst since the Depression. There certainly is enough blame to go around – intentionally lax federal oversight, inattentive members of Congress reliant on campaign donations from the financial industry, greed and lack of ethics exhibited by national banks and mortgage companies, and too many home buyers making naive and uninformed purchasing decisions. A number of fixes are being proposed and I would guess that whatever the “fix” (bailout for borrower or lender) it will tap into the taxpayers’ pockets. Glub!
* Emotional isolationism ~ mental well-being – On Saturday morning I opened my Yahoo home page and saw the following headlines: Israel Kills 31 Palestinians in Gaza Raid; Suicide Bomber kills 38 at Pakistan Funeral; Guatemala Bus Plunges off Cliff, 37 Killed. On most mornings I would treat these headlines as if they were sports scores, possibly making a brief mental note and moving on to the weather report. Like the news about genocide in Darfur and factional assassinations in Iraq, after a while they are statistics that cease to resonate in one’s emotional world. The over 100 deaths the day before involved no one that I knew and there is nothing that I could have done about it. But this morning was different as I recalled having lived in Guatemala and driven the narrow, winding roads that snake through the mountains. I recall having the frightful thought when traveling in this beautiful and culturally fascinating country that going off the road meant a drop of 1000 feet or more with little chance of survival. I stopped to read this article and then moved on to the weather report.
* Mitt Romney wins ~ by the skin of his teeth – At the 143rd annual Midwinter Meeting the Chicago Dental Society selected Romney as having the best smile of all the presidential candidates. The former governor of Massachusetts is also expected to be the choice of the Illinois Republican Hair Stylists Association when all three of them meet at a Starbucks next month.
* Modern health care ~ antiquated health insurance – The marvel of DNA testing allows a person to learn if an elevated risk of an inherited disease exists. Such knowledge would allow individuals to make more informed healthcare decisions. However, fear of genetic predispositions on health insurance costs or total loss of coverage lead many to avoid such testing. This is the state of health insurance today where employers or health insurers can discriminate against an individual because of the costs that individual may generate. A conservative perspective might be that if a person has an illness that could lead to substantial or catastrophic costs they alone should be responsible. I strongly disagree with such a mentality and argue that this is not the path that America has chosen. As a society we pool the cost of our national defense, our protection from crime and fire, basic education, and a long list of other services and protections essential to our well-being. Healthcare should be no different. A plan for health insurance that protects all Americans in an equitable manner should replace the current health insurance system where profit-driven objectives do not serve the common good.
* Derriere Orifice of the Week ~ the Environmental Protection Agency - What would you call a person who knowingly uses a broken condom? Answer: a fool. What would you call a government agency mandated to protect the environment and the citizens it serves that continually facilitates policies harmful to both? Answer: the EPA. “Under pressure from agriculture industry lobbyists and lawmakers from agricultural states, the Environmental Protection Agency wants to drop requirements that factory farms report their emissions of toxic gases, despite findings by the agency's scientists that the gases pose a health threat... The EPA acknowledges that the emissions can pose a threat to people living and working nearby, but it says local emergency responders don't use the reports, making them unnecessary.” We have repeatedly seen such asinine decisions supported by asinine justifications that only serve the economic interest of private industry. Almost always these decisions go against the judgment and advice of the EPA’s own and independent scientists. Sometimes the courts reverse these dangerous decisions but the process is costly, time consuming and allows dangerous activity to continue until EPA rulings are nullified. America currently lacks a balance between private and public interest. This is not an issue of less government. It is an issue of irresponsible government.
* Yes Virginia, Edward R .Murrow is gone - Watching the Clinton/Obama debate this past week the mediocre state of television news/political interviewers was on display in the form of Tim Russert. Tough questions are fine and even preferred but this observer felt that many of Russert’s questions were framed so that he was focus of this event. Such an approach also left me with questions about his objectivity and yearning for the likes of Jim Lehrer of PBS. Our broadcast fourth estate is far from first rate.
* No merit in consistency – On Monday the National Governors Association met with President Bush. “Bush rebuffed appeals from the nation’s governors to increase spending on roads, bridges and other public works as a way to revive the economy.” He wanted to see the effects of his own stimulus package before supporting new measures (some would call it self-stimulation). The President refused to address the fact that London Bridge is falling down along with much of the country’s infrastructure. Like the war in Iraq, no immigration solutions, devastating deficits, etc., etc., etc. the 43rd president of the U.S. will retire to his planned $200 million G. W. Bush Library at SMU in Texas where he can install a 43 foot high photo of himself in flight gear - “Mission Accomplished”.
* Merit in involvement - If you have a desire to be more knowledgeable and involved in your community, each month Tom Ulrich provides a calendar of all things politically progressive for people living in the Pennsylvania counties of Philadelphia, Bucks and Montgomery. You can join his mailing list by contacting him at tomulrich@mybluelight.com.
*Obama speaks about Israel – Steve Benen at caprpetbagger.com brought to my attention comments that Barack Obama made this week to about 100 members of the Jewish community in Cleveland. I was particularly interested because for some time I have had a nagging sense that America’s hard-line, ask no questions support of Israel relative to the Palestine question does not especially serve the interest of Israelis, Palestinians or Americans. There are many within Israel and the U.S. who share this perspective. In part Obama said: “I think there is a strain within the pro-Israel community that says unless you adopt an unwavering pro-Likud (right wing) approach to Israel that you’re anti-Israel and that can’t be the measure of our friendship with Israel. If we cannot have an honest dialogue about how do we achieve these goals, then we’re not going to make progress.”
Some of the most influential people in the so-called “pro-Israel” block in the U.S. are neocons such as William Kristol, Paul Wolfowitz, Douglas Feith, Richard Perle and members of the Bush administration (current and former) who had beaten the drums to invade Iraq. We have clearly seen the results of such myopic war-mongering. Recall when Israel, with full support from Bush and Secretary of State Rice, destroyed so much of the infrastructure of Lebanon. To what end? For decades I have been a supporter of Israel – a country with every right to defend its citizens from suicide attacks and missiles. However, there are valid questions to be asked. Does the expansion of settlements still make sense? Do policies that worsen the condition of Palestinian lives make sense? Is this not one of the reasons that Hamas came to power? It is time for leaders in Israel and America to explore new solutions. Stubborn adherence to unsuccessful policy does not lead to progress.
* Surgeon General of the Army Eric B. Schoomaker and I are red-faced – I am embarrassed because I naively believed it was the function of the Department of Veterans Affairs to be helpful to injured veterans. NPR reports that an Army team from Washington ordered VA officials at Fort Drum (NY) to stop counseling soldiers on their disability paperwork because when they did the soldiers received better benefits and this was a conflict of interest. Schoomaker flatly denied that it was the Army that told the VA to stop this help. Oops. NPR obtained a four-page VA document that proves the denial to be false. There is more than one conflict of interest in this saga – especially conflicted are the interests of brave men and women who served our country and have paid a heavy price. When our military and political leaders speak of honor and fidelity and supporting the troops they should in the same breath mention their own shame, dishonor, malfeasance and disgrace.
* It is not so much what you believe in that matters, as the way in which you believe it and proceed to translate that belief into action. Lin Yutang, Chinese writer and inventor (1895 – 1976)
Saturday, January 26, 2008
1/26/08
*I am beside myselves – Former football great Hershel Walker reveals in a new book that he suffers from multiple personality disorder. In the extreme it would be defined as a disorder yet each of us have multiple personalities. We are subtly to demonstrably different as a spouse or a parent, in our work or hangin’ with friends, when we go to the doctor or place a bet at a casino. I bring this up because the people we elect to represent us also have multiple (varying) personalities and the one that we see campaigning is apt to be much different than the one that affects policies and enacts laws. Whom we see on the stump may actually be a chump. I have been leaning toward one particular candidate but learned this week of some votes cast in the past that raise questions for me. Possessing some knowledge of a candidate’s past actions will tell us a lot more than what we get from the overload of sound bites rained down upon us from our television sets. For each of us there will not likely be a perfect candidate but, a democracy does require compromise. At best we can try to be informed so that our final decision is not compromised solely by a candidate’s personality.
*Dinner with the Clintons ~ satiated – You know that feeling one gets following a holiday meal? One more bite and you are certain that you will explode. That is the feeling I have about Bill and Hillary Clinton. Enough is enough. I have commented that I felt Bill was a decent president. I will not forget his loose zipper and the very questionable pardons he granted at the end of his presidency. These examples are not G.W. Bush destructions of the fabric of our country but character flaws that remind one of a fabric that causes a nagging itch. What bothers me the most, however, is the current Hillary Clinton presidential campaign that is heavily funded by special interests (as are some other candidates to varying degrees, unfortunately) and managed by philosophical reprobates better suited for the Republican Party of dirty tricks and questionable campaign ethics. As Bill’s recent statements attempted to revise history (such as his claim that he did not support the invasion of Iraq) and as Hillary’s campaign appears to be one huge scripted stage production, I am Bushed and Clintoned out. It is almost 20 years since the White House had a different name in residence. Burp.
*Responsible leadership – There has been a recent spate of letters falsely claiming that Barack Obama is a Muslim. One target of these letters is the Jewish community. At a time when “religion” from the political right is polluting the national discourse I was pleased to see an intelligent, responsible and adult response to the attack on Obama. Seven Jewish U.S. Senators issued a statement against such attacks and said, in part, “Over the past several weeks, many in the Jewish community have received hateful emails that use falsehood and innuendo about Senator Barack Obama's religion and attack him personally. As Jewish United States Senators who have not endorsed a candidate for the Democratic nomination, we condemn these scurrilous attacks... All voters should support whichever candidate they believe would make the best president.” The signers are Senators Carl Levin, Barbara Boxer, Ben Cardin, Russ Feingold, Frank Lautenberg, Bernie Sanders, and Ron Wyden.
*The fine print – footnoted.org is a very interesting web site founded several years ago my Michelle Leder. “Each day, the site takes a closer look at the things that companies try to bury in their routine SEC filings.” It is read by financial money managers and analysts and it is a place to perhaps see what is going on with a company you work for or invest in. Examples of her finds: Countrywide gives President and COO David Sambol $2.62 million promotion bonus and country club membership just before stock implodes; Hair-salon chain Regis Corp. doles out more than $2 million worth of goodies to relatives of corporate executives; Morgan's Hotel Group adds $30,000-a-month Manhattan apartment to new CEO Fred Kleisner's $750,000 salary; I2 Technologies, a troubled software company, spends almost $1 million ferrying former CEO Michael McGrath between his Maine home and its Dallas headquarters; Qwest Communications CEO Edward Mueller sends his step-daughter to high school on a private jet. It may be a footnote but we “note” who foots the bill.
*Sometimes the truth hurts – A Canadian training manual for its diplomats inadvertently became public. The following countries were identified as nations that torture: Iran, Saudi Arabia, Syria, United States, Afghanistan, Israel and China. (A spokesman for the Israeli embassy in Ottawa said the Israeli Supreme Court was "on record as expressly prohibiting any type of torture".)
Update: Under heavy pressure from the U.S. ambassador to Canada, the U.S. was removed from the list. Canadian Foreign Minister Maxime Bernier said that, “he regretted the embarrassment caused by the public disclosure of the list and promised it would be changed to reflect the Canadian government's official position.” I did not notice my embarrassment abate because of Canada’s “official” position.
*Non-violent conditions in Iraq ~ don’t ask – In an unusually cold winter in the Middle East residents of Iraq are particularly hard hit. There is a lack of water, a lack of electricity and a lack of heat. “Little kerosene is available on the state-run market at the subsidized price of $0.52 a gallon. But the fuel can be found on the black market, where it goes for more than $3.79 a gallon... An average household needs at least 1.32 gallons a day to stay warm, which translates into a monthly expense of $150, or half what an average Iraqi earns.” Since January 1st temperatures at night nave fallen below freezing. Success in Iraq requires going well beyond reducing violence but the Bush spokespeople seem blind to the needs of the Iraqi people when measuring “success”. Recall President Bush saying that his invasion of the country was in part to help the Iraqi people. Ask an Iraqi how they have been helped. Bring gloves.
*I didn’t know that – Living in the United States we take the English language for granted. I am sure that none of us imagine a day when “our” language would disappear. Yet, a U.N. report says that “one language disappears across the world every two weeks.” An example of this loss is taking place in the village of Ayapan in Tabasco, Mexico. Two men in their 70s, the last speakers of the indigenous language Zoque, have drifted apart and are no longer talking to each other. It is humbling that little if anything on our planet is forever. I wonder how these two men feel about the impending end of their language line. I wonder how our behavior would be altered if we each had a true sense of our transience?
*Flash Observations:
~Chuck Norris says that he supports Huckabee because McCain is too old for the job. He says that the presidency ages a person faster than normal because of the demands. If elected, McCain would be 72 at his inauguration. I don’t care much for Norris’ acting or politics but I tend to agree that the age of 72 is a bit old to begin the most demanding job in the world.
~If you are not offended by Huckabee’s desire to integrate church and state maybe another matter will get your attention. In 1993 he had no problem addressing the Council of Conservative Citizens (while Lt. Governor of Arkansas), a white supremacist group. An excerpt from their Statement of Principles: "We also oppose all efforts to mix the races of mankind, to promote non-white races over the European-American people through so-called "affirmative action" and similar measures, to destroy or denigrate the European-American heritage, including the heritage of the Southern people, and to force the integration of the races." I guess the part about all of us being created in the image of God is open to opinion in the mind(less)-set of these miscreants.
~The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is refusing to provide Congress with a full explanation of why it rejected California’s greenhouse gas regulations. Amidst the smog of reasoning is the fact that the Bush-appointed EPA Administrator Stephen L. Johnson went against the opinion of EPA employees and scientists in this ruling in favor of the lobbying efforts of the U.S. oil and auto industries. Congress is investigating and late this week Sen. Barbara Boxer (D-CA) proposed legislation that would override the EPA decision.
~I find it interesting that many of those opposed to abortion as well as those seeking to legally expand human rights to an embryo (currently a proposed law in 20 states) have so little to say or interest in the welfare of that embryo once born. To advocate the sanctity of life but not the sanctity of the living is incongruous to me.
~The Center for Public Integrity researched the number of false statements made by the Bush administration leading up to the invasion of Iraq. From the report: “...the 935 false statements painstakingly presented here finally help to answer two all-too-familiar questions as they apply to Bush and his top advisers: What did they know, and when did they know it?
~Quote of the Week - Editor of the LA Times Jim O’Shea was pushed out of his job this week because he opposed budget cuts and the way that the parent company Tribune newspapers allocate resources. He said, “We need to tell readers more about Barack Obama and less about Britney Spears.” I applaud this adult approach to news reporting.
*Freedoms Under Attack – Unbeknown to most of us, organizations such as Save the Internet are working diligently to protect us from cable and telecommunication companies illegally blocking free speech and greedily and insidiously hindering free choice to enhance their power and their wealth. Some examples:
· In October 2007, the Associated Press busted Comcast for blocking its users' access to peer-to-peer file-sharing networks like BitTorrent and Gnutella. This fraudulent practice is a glaring violation of Net Neutrality.
· In September 2007, Verizon was caught banning pro-choice text messages. After a New York Times expose, the phone company reversed its policy, claiming it was a glitch.
· In August 2007, AT&T censored a live webcast of a Pearl Jam concert just as lead singer Eddie Vedder criticized President Bush.
· In 2006, Time Warner's AOL blocked all emails that mentioned www.dearaol.com -- an advocacy campaign opposing the company's pay-to-send e-mail scheme.
· In 2004, North Carolina ISP Madison River blocked their DSL customers from using any rival Web-based phone service.
As a nation we are becoming aware of the cost to society of businesses being allowed to become too powerful. This observation applies not only to telecommunication companies but to other industries as well - with special attention to financial institutions, energy companies, health insurers and pharmaceuticals. I anticipate that over the next several years the American people will demand that Congress (which is a part of the problem through self-interest and cronyism) legislate alterations to the unfettered power of corporate industry that has taken root. I expect that there will be a more diligent policing of the abuse exhibited by these entities. It will be an opportunity to verify our democracy’s viability.
*Remembering Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
~A nation that continues year after year to spend more money on military defense than on programs of social uplift is approaching spiritual death.~History will have to record that the greatest tragedy of this period of social transition was not the strident clamor of the bad people, but the appalling silence of the good people.
~Every man must decide whether he will walk in the light of creative altruism or in the darkness of destructive selfishness
~The time has come for America to hear the truth…
*Dinner with the Clintons ~ satiated – You know that feeling one gets following a holiday meal? One more bite and you are certain that you will explode. That is the feeling I have about Bill and Hillary Clinton. Enough is enough. I have commented that I felt Bill was a decent president. I will not forget his loose zipper and the very questionable pardons he granted at the end of his presidency. These examples are not G.W. Bush destructions of the fabric of our country but character flaws that remind one of a fabric that causes a nagging itch. What bothers me the most, however, is the current Hillary Clinton presidential campaign that is heavily funded by special interests (as are some other candidates to varying degrees, unfortunately) and managed by philosophical reprobates better suited for the Republican Party of dirty tricks and questionable campaign ethics. As Bill’s recent statements attempted to revise history (such as his claim that he did not support the invasion of Iraq) and as Hillary’s campaign appears to be one huge scripted stage production, I am Bushed and Clintoned out. It is almost 20 years since the White House had a different name in residence. Burp.
*Responsible leadership – There has been a recent spate of letters falsely claiming that Barack Obama is a Muslim. One target of these letters is the Jewish community. At a time when “religion” from the political right is polluting the national discourse I was pleased to see an intelligent, responsible and adult response to the attack on Obama. Seven Jewish U.S. Senators issued a statement against such attacks and said, in part, “Over the past several weeks, many in the Jewish community have received hateful emails that use falsehood and innuendo about Senator Barack Obama's religion and attack him personally. As Jewish United States Senators who have not endorsed a candidate for the Democratic nomination, we condemn these scurrilous attacks... All voters should support whichever candidate they believe would make the best president.” The signers are Senators Carl Levin, Barbara Boxer, Ben Cardin, Russ Feingold, Frank Lautenberg, Bernie Sanders, and Ron Wyden.
*The fine print – footnoted.org is a very interesting web site founded several years ago my Michelle Leder. “Each day, the site takes a closer look at the things that companies try to bury in their routine SEC filings.” It is read by financial money managers and analysts and it is a place to perhaps see what is going on with a company you work for or invest in. Examples of her finds: Countrywide gives President and COO David Sambol $2.62 million promotion bonus and country club membership just before stock implodes; Hair-salon chain Regis Corp. doles out more than $2 million worth of goodies to relatives of corporate executives; Morgan's Hotel Group adds $30,000-a-month Manhattan apartment to new CEO Fred Kleisner's $750,000 salary; I2 Technologies, a troubled software company, spends almost $1 million ferrying former CEO Michael McGrath between his Maine home and its Dallas headquarters; Qwest Communications CEO Edward Mueller sends his step-daughter to high school on a private jet. It may be a footnote but we “note” who foots the bill.
*Sometimes the truth hurts – A Canadian training manual for its diplomats inadvertently became public. The following countries were identified as nations that torture: Iran, Saudi Arabia, Syria, United States, Afghanistan, Israel and China. (A spokesman for the Israeli embassy in Ottawa said the Israeli Supreme Court was "on record as expressly prohibiting any type of torture".)
Update: Under heavy pressure from the U.S. ambassador to Canada, the U.S. was removed from the list. Canadian Foreign Minister Maxime Bernier said that, “he regretted the embarrassment caused by the public disclosure of the list and promised it would be changed to reflect the Canadian government's official position.” I did not notice my embarrassment abate because of Canada’s “official” position.
*Non-violent conditions in Iraq ~ don’t ask – In an unusually cold winter in the Middle East residents of Iraq are particularly hard hit. There is a lack of water, a lack of electricity and a lack of heat. “Little kerosene is available on the state-run market at the subsidized price of $0.52 a gallon. But the fuel can be found on the black market, where it goes for more than $3.79 a gallon... An average household needs at least 1.32 gallons a day to stay warm, which translates into a monthly expense of $150, or half what an average Iraqi earns.” Since January 1st temperatures at night nave fallen below freezing. Success in Iraq requires going well beyond reducing violence but the Bush spokespeople seem blind to the needs of the Iraqi people when measuring “success”. Recall President Bush saying that his invasion of the country was in part to help the Iraqi people. Ask an Iraqi how they have been helped. Bring gloves.
*I didn’t know that – Living in the United States we take the English language for granted. I am sure that none of us imagine a day when “our” language would disappear. Yet, a U.N. report says that “one language disappears across the world every two weeks.” An example of this loss is taking place in the village of Ayapan in Tabasco, Mexico. Two men in their 70s, the last speakers of the indigenous language Zoque, have drifted apart and are no longer talking to each other. It is humbling that little if anything on our planet is forever. I wonder how these two men feel about the impending end of their language line. I wonder how our behavior would be altered if we each had a true sense of our transience?
*Flash Observations:
~Chuck Norris says that he supports Huckabee because McCain is too old for the job. He says that the presidency ages a person faster than normal because of the demands. If elected, McCain would be 72 at his inauguration. I don’t care much for Norris’ acting or politics but I tend to agree that the age of 72 is a bit old to begin the most demanding job in the world.
~If you are not offended by Huckabee’s desire to integrate church and state maybe another matter will get your attention. In 1993 he had no problem addressing the Council of Conservative Citizens (while Lt. Governor of Arkansas), a white supremacist group. An excerpt from their Statement of Principles: "We also oppose all efforts to mix the races of mankind, to promote non-white races over the European-American people through so-called "affirmative action" and similar measures, to destroy or denigrate the European-American heritage, including the heritage of the Southern people, and to force the integration of the races." I guess the part about all of us being created in the image of God is open to opinion in the mind(less)-set of these miscreants.
~The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is refusing to provide Congress with a full explanation of why it rejected California’s greenhouse gas regulations. Amidst the smog of reasoning is the fact that the Bush-appointed EPA Administrator Stephen L. Johnson went against the opinion of EPA employees and scientists in this ruling in favor of the lobbying efforts of the U.S. oil and auto industries. Congress is investigating and late this week Sen. Barbara Boxer (D-CA) proposed legislation that would override the EPA decision.
~I find it interesting that many of those opposed to abortion as well as those seeking to legally expand human rights to an embryo (currently a proposed law in 20 states) have so little to say or interest in the welfare of that embryo once born. To advocate the sanctity of life but not the sanctity of the living is incongruous to me.
~The Center for Public Integrity researched the number of false statements made by the Bush administration leading up to the invasion of Iraq. From the report: “...the 935 false statements painstakingly presented here finally help to answer two all-too-familiar questions as they apply to Bush and his top advisers: What did they know, and when did they know it?
~Quote of the Week - Editor of the LA Times Jim O’Shea was pushed out of his job this week because he opposed budget cuts and the way that the parent company Tribune newspapers allocate resources. He said, “We need to tell readers more about Barack Obama and less about Britney Spears.” I applaud this adult approach to news reporting.
*Freedoms Under Attack – Unbeknown to most of us, organizations such as Save the Internet are working diligently to protect us from cable and telecommunication companies illegally blocking free speech and greedily and insidiously hindering free choice to enhance their power and their wealth. Some examples:
· In October 2007, the Associated Press busted Comcast for blocking its users' access to peer-to-peer file-sharing networks like BitTorrent and Gnutella. This fraudulent practice is a glaring violation of Net Neutrality.
· In September 2007, Verizon was caught banning pro-choice text messages. After a New York Times expose, the phone company reversed its policy, claiming it was a glitch.
· In August 2007, AT&T censored a live webcast of a Pearl Jam concert just as lead singer Eddie Vedder criticized President Bush.
· In 2006, Time Warner's AOL blocked all emails that mentioned www.dearaol.com -- an advocacy campaign opposing the company's pay-to-send e-mail scheme.
· In 2004, North Carolina ISP Madison River blocked their DSL customers from using any rival Web-based phone service.
As a nation we are becoming aware of the cost to society of businesses being allowed to become too powerful. This observation applies not only to telecommunication companies but to other industries as well - with special attention to financial institutions, energy companies, health insurers and pharmaceuticals. I anticipate that over the next several years the American people will demand that Congress (which is a part of the problem through self-interest and cronyism) legislate alterations to the unfettered power of corporate industry that has taken root. I expect that there will be a more diligent policing of the abuse exhibited by these entities. It will be an opportunity to verify our democracy’s viability.
*Remembering Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
~A nation that continues year after year to spend more money on military defense than on programs of social uplift is approaching spiritual death.~History will have to record that the greatest tragedy of this period of social transition was not the strident clamor of the bad people, but the appalling silence of the good people.
~Every man must decide whether he will walk in the light of creative altruism or in the darkness of destructive selfishness
~The time has come for America to hear the truth…
Friday, November 30, 2007
12/1/07
*The world as a village of 100 people – A reader sent me this interesting website that examines the premise: If we could reduce the world’s population to a village of precisely 100 people, with all existing human ratios remaining the same, the demographics would look something like this:
~60 Asians – 12 Europeans – 5 North Americans – 8 Latin Americans – 14 Africans
~49 females – 51 males
~82 non-white – 18 white
~89 heterosexual – 11 homosexual
~33 Christian – 67 non-Christian
~5 would control 32% of the entire world’s wealth, and all of them would be US citizens
~80 would live in substandard housing
~24 would not have any electricity
~67 would be unable to read
~1 would have a college education
~50 would be malnourished and 1 dying of starvation
~33 would be without access to a safe water supply
~1 would have HIV and 1 would be near death
Seeing oneself in this context is enlightening. Most of the time my thoughts of the “world” revolve narrowly around what directly affects me. I imagine that this same phenomenon applies to you, our elected leaders and our national and foreign policies. Perhaps if we saw the world in a broader way we would have a greater appreciation for our good fortune to live in America. If our leaders saw the world in a broader context perhaps polices would have more positive results. America is not the world – it is a small part of a much larger and diverse community. The site offers some interesting implications of this data and is worth a visit.
*Once in a while the good guys win – In May of 2000 Pacific Northwest timber moguls donated $1 million to the Republican Party to help elect George W. Bush. In return they were promised that the Bush administration would lift certain logging restrictions that protected the environment and salmon populations. The administration kept its bargain with the devil by intentionally misinterpreting and ignoring the scientific data. Environmental groups and local communities stood up to this not untypical sell-out by Bush to big business interests. “In April a federal court ruled the administration acted illegally by suppressing scientific dissent when it illegally modified environmental safeguards, known as the Aquatic Conservation Strategy, developed in 1994 as part of the Northwest Forest Plan.” "In the end the government wasted millions of dollars in staff and attorney time all for nothing. We were able to keep the salmon protections in place because the government couldn't get any reputable scientist to go along with their scheme” said Earthjustice attorney Patti Goldman. I say don’t blame the President. His belief system precludes science.
*Pondering profit motives - In Eugene Jarecki's documentary film Why We Fight, about the U.S. military-industrial complex, U.S. foreign policy critic Chalmers Johnson states: "I guarantee you when war becomes that profitable, you are going to see more of it." The Iraq war has generated billions of dollars for defense and supply companies. The privatization of many military functions in Iraq has resulted in 180,000 personnel (more than the number of our military personnel) working for private companies in Iraq – most of which have strong ties to Bush, Cheney and the Republican party. No recession in this sector - merely a loss of life, limb and taxpayer assets.
*Standing up for your candidate – A politician in Thailand is distributing Viagra to older men in hopes of gaining their vote in the December elections. I think that this tactic is an excellent way to maximize the use of campaign funds. It gains the vote of the older man and probably the vote of a surprised but happier wife.
*Lott trots to K Street - Senator Trent Lott (R-MS) indicated that he may resign from the Senate (after 30-plus years) before the end of the year. Having just been re-elected in 2006, the move raises questions about the timing of the decision. It is likely that Lott is racing a new law that goes into effect January 1, 2008. Under current law a Senator or Representative must wait one year after leaving office before becoming a lobbyist. The new law requires a two-year waiting period – a law that Lott voted against. Former senators, representative, staff and family have made huge amounts of money working for Washington D.C. (K Street) lobbyists where they use their connections to influence legislators and public officials. Industry and trade groups fund this influence. The musical chairs of influence benefit all but the disenfranchised average citizen. I suggest that former elected officials and staff have a waiting period of 5 years before they can register as lobbyists. In the mean time they can seek real jobs and avoid the stigma of prostitution.
*The two faces of Cheney – As VP of the U.S Dick Cheney has been a leading force against Iran with threats of bombing the country and the imposition of sanctions. As CEO of Halliburton Cheney danced around the law to do business with Iran. In 1995 President Bill Clinton signed an executive order barring U.S. investments in Iran’s energy sector. Halliburton then set up an offshore subsidiary that engaged in dealings with Iran, a country the U.S. deemed a terrorist state. Of course, such epiphanies for the disingenuous members of the Bush administration generate little surprise. The offshore subsidiary gambit by Cheney may have been a loophole in the law but it demonstrates an even larger loophole in his integrity. He was for Iran (when it benefited his personal gain) before he was against it. Does Halliburton manufacture bombs?
*The third face of Cheney ~ Energy – Some may recall that in the early days of the Bush presidency Dick Cheney held secret policy meetings with America’s major oil companies – Exxon/Mobil, BP, Chevron and many of their fellow goniffs (crooks). Since it was a secret meeting we do not know what was discussed. What we do know is that when Bush took office a gallon of gasoline cost $1.45. Today, that same gallon costs $3.07. Coincidence?
*Romney’s tolerance of intolerance – Mitt Romney has faced anti-Mormon attacks in his primary run for the Republican presidential nomination. He subsequently has been asking Americans not to adversely judge him because he is a Mormon. However, he has no problem feeding the salivating racism of the political right in order to curry their favor. Steve Benen at the carpetbaggerreport.com notes that when Romney was asked if he would consider Americans of the Islamic faith for his cabinet if elected president Romney replied, “…based on the numbers of American Muslims [as a percentage] in our population, I cannot see that a cabinet position would be justified. But of course, I would imagine that Muslims could serve at lower levels of my administration.” As Benen notes, discriminating against Muslims or gays is a plus situation in appealing to the Republican base. Recall how Karl Rove energized the religious right to vote for Bush with the promise to “protect” them from gays and this was supported by the majority of the Republican leadership. What a sad commentary that a major political party in 21st Century America fuels itself with hate and prejudice. Of course, using Romney’s “demographics”, a Mormon would not qualify to run for president.
*Sex question of the week – Palm Beach Community College has approved medical insurance for employees’ pets. The Board of Trustees, however, voted down medical insurance for employee domestic partners even though the plan would not have cost the school anything because it pays employee premiums only, not those of dependents. The question this raises for me: If an employee has 2 dogs or 3 cats or 4 gerbils of the same sex are the pets disqualified from plan participation?
*I would laugh if not so sad ~ I would cry if my eyes didn’t burn – Twelve states are suing the Environmental Protection Agency for “weakening regulations that for two decades have required businesses and industries to report the toxic chemicals they use, store and release.” The “protection” that the EPA currently provides is no better than a condom with a hole. Where is congressional oversight? I guess it does not really matter since congress is so impotent there is no need for a condom.
*Star-dudded endorsement – Barack Obama is being supported by Oprah so Hillary Clinton lined up Barbara Streisand. Flash has its place but I would prefer to see a bit more substance in what the candidates stand for and what solutions they propose for the monumental problems facing this nation. And yet, perhaps this approach makes sense since as a nation we are consumed with the next media download on the Ipod, Blackberry, computer, X-Box, Sling Box, Hi Def TV, satellite radio and cell phone ring tone. There just is not enough time to devote to what is going on in our country. Bush and Cheney and Rove understood this phenomenon. They realized that too few were paying attention thus enabling them to get away with almost anything.
*President Bush’s best friend 1 – Russian President Vladimir Putin is up for re-election. In addition to critical journalists and political opponents disappearing/dying under unusual circumstances and political rivals being arrested it is now being reported that, “With the Kremlin determined to see a high turnout in Sunday's election, many Russians say they are being pressured to vote at work under the watchful eyes of their bosses or risk losing their jobs.” There is nothing like bringing back the good old days.
*President Bush’s best friend 2 – John Howard, Prime Minister of Australia was overwhelmingly voted out of office due to two policies he closely held with Bush - the Iraq war and denial of climate change. The once widely popular Howard has served as PM since 1996.His defeat was considered humiliating given that a year ago his re-election was considered a given. The new PM Kevin Rudd campaigned on removing Australia’s 550 combat troops from Iraq and joining the Kyoto Treaty whose aim is to address climate change. This now leaves America as the only industrialized country not participating in the Kyoto Treaty (172 nations participate). And most of the minimal support that comprised the Iraq “coalition” is disappearing. It is also interesting to note that the former heads of Great Britain and Italy and Spain join Howard in being forced out of office largely due to their Iraq positions. America and President Bush truly “stand alone” in the world.
*Another friend of President Bush 1 – Meet Mark W. Everson. He is a Republican family values kind of guy (with a wife and two children) who worked in the Bush administration from 2001 until recently. His jobs included Commissioner of the IRS, a position he left in May to become President and CEO of the Red Cross with a $500,000 salary. He has stepped down after revelations that he was "engaged in a personal relationship with a subordinate employee." I say it could have even been worse for Mr. Everson. The subordinate employee was a female, thereby avoiding the embarrassment experienced by a number of other prominent Republicans in recent months whose trysts were with the same gender.
*Another friend of President Bush 2 – Meet the Saudis. “Saudi Arabia has released 1,500 prisoners suspected of belonging to a radical Islamic group after the prisoners underwent what was described as a five-week counseling program”. What a novel approach - fighting terrorism with sensitivity seminars. Not so sensitive was the Saudi decision to order a young woman to be physically beaten as “punishment” for being in a situation where she was gang-raped. When Middle East leaders complain that Americans do not understand them they are spot on.
*Rudy, Rudy, Rudy ~ Another “law and order” derriere orifice – We now learn that while Giuliani was Mayor of NYC his extra-marital affair with the woman now his current wife cost the taxpayers tens of thousands of dollars. When hizzoner snuck off to the Hamptons to cavort with Judith Nathan he billed NYC agencies for security costs. The funding came from agencies responsible for regulating loft apartments, aiding the disabled and providing lawyers for indigent defendants. Republicans like Giuliani believe that such agencies should not even exist so there is no problem stealing their funds. Let’s call it reallocating the resources to benefit the “benefitted”.
*Victoria’s Secret ~ no longer – If you lust for Victoria’s Secrets (VS) products or catalog allow me to temper your libido. The National Labor Committee has issued a report that VS abuses foreign guest workers in Jordan. “D.K. Garments is a subcontract factory with 150 foreign guest workers (135 from Bangladesh and 15 from Sri Lanka), which has been producing VS garments for the last year.... The VS workers toil 14 to 15 hours a day, from 7:00 a.m. to 9:00 or 10:00 p.m., seven days a week, receiving on average one day off every three or four months. Despite being forced to work five or more overtime hours a day, the workers are routinely shortchanged on their legal overtime pay, being cheated up to $18.48 each week in wages due them... Workers are allowed just 3.3 minutes to sew each $14 Victoria's Secret women's bikini, for which they are paid four cents... The workers are housed in primitive dorms which have only irregular access to water. During winter months, when the temperatures can drop to freezing, the workers' dorms have neither heat nor hot water.” I find that what goes into Victoria’s bra and panties is no longer hot to me. In fact, it is very cold.
* ... the 20th century has been characterized by three developments of great political importance: The growth of democracy, the growth of corporate power, and the growth of corporate propaganda as a means of protecting corporate power against democracy.
Alex Carey, Australian social scientist
~60 Asians – 12 Europeans – 5 North Americans – 8 Latin Americans – 14 Africans
~49 females – 51 males
~82 non-white – 18 white
~89 heterosexual – 11 homosexual
~33 Christian – 67 non-Christian
~5 would control 32% of the entire world’s wealth, and all of them would be US citizens
~80 would live in substandard housing
~24 would not have any electricity
~67 would be unable to read
~1 would have a college education
~50 would be malnourished and 1 dying of starvation
~33 would be without access to a safe water supply
~1 would have HIV and 1 would be near death
Seeing oneself in this context is enlightening. Most of the time my thoughts of the “world” revolve narrowly around what directly affects me. I imagine that this same phenomenon applies to you, our elected leaders and our national and foreign policies. Perhaps if we saw the world in a broader way we would have a greater appreciation for our good fortune to live in America. If our leaders saw the world in a broader context perhaps polices would have more positive results. America is not the world – it is a small part of a much larger and diverse community. The site offers some interesting implications of this data and is worth a visit.
*Once in a while the good guys win – In May of 2000 Pacific Northwest timber moguls donated $1 million to the Republican Party to help elect George W. Bush. In return they were promised that the Bush administration would lift certain logging restrictions that protected the environment and salmon populations. The administration kept its bargain with the devil by intentionally misinterpreting and ignoring the scientific data. Environmental groups and local communities stood up to this not untypical sell-out by Bush to big business interests. “In April a federal court ruled the administration acted illegally by suppressing scientific dissent when it illegally modified environmental safeguards, known as the Aquatic Conservation Strategy, developed in 1994 as part of the Northwest Forest Plan.” "In the end the government wasted millions of dollars in staff and attorney time all for nothing. We were able to keep the salmon protections in place because the government couldn't get any reputable scientist to go along with their scheme” said Earthjustice attorney Patti Goldman. I say don’t blame the President. His belief system precludes science.
*Pondering profit motives - In Eugene Jarecki's documentary film Why We Fight, about the U.S. military-industrial complex, U.S. foreign policy critic Chalmers Johnson states: "I guarantee you when war becomes that profitable, you are going to see more of it." The Iraq war has generated billions of dollars for defense and supply companies. The privatization of many military functions in Iraq has resulted in 180,000 personnel (more than the number of our military personnel) working for private companies in Iraq – most of which have strong ties to Bush, Cheney and the Republican party. No recession in this sector - merely a loss of life, limb and taxpayer assets.
*Standing up for your candidate – A politician in Thailand is distributing Viagra to older men in hopes of gaining their vote in the December elections. I think that this tactic is an excellent way to maximize the use of campaign funds. It gains the vote of the older man and probably the vote of a surprised but happier wife.
*Lott trots to K Street - Senator Trent Lott (R-MS) indicated that he may resign from the Senate (after 30-plus years) before the end of the year. Having just been re-elected in 2006, the move raises questions about the timing of the decision. It is likely that Lott is racing a new law that goes into effect January 1, 2008. Under current law a Senator or Representative must wait one year after leaving office before becoming a lobbyist. The new law requires a two-year waiting period – a law that Lott voted against. Former senators, representative, staff and family have made huge amounts of money working for Washington D.C. (K Street) lobbyists where they use their connections to influence legislators and public officials. Industry and trade groups fund this influence. The musical chairs of influence benefit all but the disenfranchised average citizen. I suggest that former elected officials and staff have a waiting period of 5 years before they can register as lobbyists. In the mean time they can seek real jobs and avoid the stigma of prostitution.
*The two faces of Cheney – As VP of the U.S Dick Cheney has been a leading force against Iran with threats of bombing the country and the imposition of sanctions. As CEO of Halliburton Cheney danced around the law to do business with Iran. In 1995 President Bill Clinton signed an executive order barring U.S. investments in Iran’s energy sector. Halliburton then set up an offshore subsidiary that engaged in dealings with Iran, a country the U.S. deemed a terrorist state. Of course, such epiphanies for the disingenuous members of the Bush administration generate little surprise. The offshore subsidiary gambit by Cheney may have been a loophole in the law but it demonstrates an even larger loophole in his integrity. He was for Iran (when it benefited his personal gain) before he was against it. Does Halliburton manufacture bombs?
*The third face of Cheney ~ Energy – Some may recall that in the early days of the Bush presidency Dick Cheney held secret policy meetings with America’s major oil companies – Exxon/Mobil, BP, Chevron and many of their fellow goniffs (crooks). Since it was a secret meeting we do not know what was discussed. What we do know is that when Bush took office a gallon of gasoline cost $1.45. Today, that same gallon costs $3.07. Coincidence?
*Romney’s tolerance of intolerance – Mitt Romney has faced anti-Mormon attacks in his primary run for the Republican presidential nomination. He subsequently has been asking Americans not to adversely judge him because he is a Mormon. However, he has no problem feeding the salivating racism of the political right in order to curry their favor. Steve Benen at the carpetbaggerreport.com notes that when Romney was asked if he would consider Americans of the Islamic faith for his cabinet if elected president Romney replied, “…based on the numbers of American Muslims [as a percentage] in our population, I cannot see that a cabinet position would be justified. But of course, I would imagine that Muslims could serve at lower levels of my administration.” As Benen notes, discriminating against Muslims or gays is a plus situation in appealing to the Republican base. Recall how Karl Rove energized the religious right to vote for Bush with the promise to “protect” them from gays and this was supported by the majority of the Republican leadership. What a sad commentary that a major political party in 21st Century America fuels itself with hate and prejudice. Of course, using Romney’s “demographics”, a Mormon would not qualify to run for president.
*Sex question of the week – Palm Beach Community College has approved medical insurance for employees’ pets. The Board of Trustees, however, voted down medical insurance for employee domestic partners even though the plan would not have cost the school anything because it pays employee premiums only, not those of dependents. The question this raises for me: If an employee has 2 dogs or 3 cats or 4 gerbils of the same sex are the pets disqualified from plan participation?
*I would laugh if not so sad ~ I would cry if my eyes didn’t burn – Twelve states are suing the Environmental Protection Agency for “weakening regulations that for two decades have required businesses and industries to report the toxic chemicals they use, store and release.” The “protection” that the EPA currently provides is no better than a condom with a hole. Where is congressional oversight? I guess it does not really matter since congress is so impotent there is no need for a condom.
*Star-dudded endorsement – Barack Obama is being supported by Oprah so Hillary Clinton lined up Barbara Streisand. Flash has its place but I would prefer to see a bit more substance in what the candidates stand for and what solutions they propose for the monumental problems facing this nation. And yet, perhaps this approach makes sense since as a nation we are consumed with the next media download on the Ipod, Blackberry, computer, X-Box, Sling Box, Hi Def TV, satellite radio and cell phone ring tone. There just is not enough time to devote to what is going on in our country. Bush and Cheney and Rove understood this phenomenon. They realized that too few were paying attention thus enabling them to get away with almost anything.
*President Bush’s best friend 1 – Russian President Vladimir Putin is up for re-election. In addition to critical journalists and political opponents disappearing/dying under unusual circumstances and political rivals being arrested it is now being reported that, “With the Kremlin determined to see a high turnout in Sunday's election, many Russians say they are being pressured to vote at work under the watchful eyes of their bosses or risk losing their jobs.” There is nothing like bringing back the good old days.
*President Bush’s best friend 2 – John Howard, Prime Minister of Australia was overwhelmingly voted out of office due to two policies he closely held with Bush - the Iraq war and denial of climate change. The once widely popular Howard has served as PM since 1996.His defeat was considered humiliating given that a year ago his re-election was considered a given. The new PM Kevin Rudd campaigned on removing Australia’s 550 combat troops from Iraq and joining the Kyoto Treaty whose aim is to address climate change. This now leaves America as the only industrialized country not participating in the Kyoto Treaty (172 nations participate). And most of the minimal support that comprised the Iraq “coalition” is disappearing. It is also interesting to note that the former heads of Great Britain and Italy and Spain join Howard in being forced out of office largely due to their Iraq positions. America and President Bush truly “stand alone” in the world.
*Another friend of President Bush 1 – Meet Mark W. Everson. He is a Republican family values kind of guy (with a wife and two children) who worked in the Bush administration from 2001 until recently. His jobs included Commissioner of the IRS, a position he left in May to become President and CEO of the Red Cross with a $500,000 salary. He has stepped down after revelations that he was "engaged in a personal relationship with a subordinate employee." I say it could have even been worse for Mr. Everson. The subordinate employee was a female, thereby avoiding the embarrassment experienced by a number of other prominent Republicans in recent months whose trysts were with the same gender.
*Another friend of President Bush 2 – Meet the Saudis. “Saudi Arabia has released 1,500 prisoners suspected of belonging to a radical Islamic group after the prisoners underwent what was described as a five-week counseling program”. What a novel approach - fighting terrorism with sensitivity seminars. Not so sensitive was the Saudi decision to order a young woman to be physically beaten as “punishment” for being in a situation where she was gang-raped. When Middle East leaders complain that Americans do not understand them they are spot on.
*Rudy, Rudy, Rudy ~ Another “law and order” derriere orifice – We now learn that while Giuliani was Mayor of NYC his extra-marital affair with the woman now his current wife cost the taxpayers tens of thousands of dollars. When hizzoner snuck off to the Hamptons to cavort with Judith Nathan he billed NYC agencies for security costs. The funding came from agencies responsible for regulating loft apartments, aiding the disabled and providing lawyers for indigent defendants. Republicans like Giuliani believe that such agencies should not even exist so there is no problem stealing their funds. Let’s call it reallocating the resources to benefit the “benefitted”.
*Victoria’s Secret ~ no longer – If you lust for Victoria’s Secrets (VS) products or catalog allow me to temper your libido. The National Labor Committee has issued a report that VS abuses foreign guest workers in Jordan. “D.K. Garments is a subcontract factory with 150 foreign guest workers (135 from Bangladesh and 15 from Sri Lanka), which has been producing VS garments for the last year.... The VS workers toil 14 to 15 hours a day, from 7:00 a.m. to 9:00 or 10:00 p.m., seven days a week, receiving on average one day off every three or four months. Despite being forced to work five or more overtime hours a day, the workers are routinely shortchanged on their legal overtime pay, being cheated up to $18.48 each week in wages due them... Workers are allowed just 3.3 minutes to sew each $14 Victoria's Secret women's bikini, for which they are paid four cents... The workers are housed in primitive dorms which have only irregular access to water. During winter months, when the temperatures can drop to freezing, the workers' dorms have neither heat nor hot water.” I find that what goes into Victoria’s bra and panties is no longer hot to me. In fact, it is very cold.
* ... the 20th century has been characterized by three developments of great political importance: The growth of democracy, the growth of corporate power, and the growth of corporate propaganda as a means of protecting corporate power against democracy.
Alex Carey, Australian social scientist
Saturday, November 24, 2007
11/24/07
*Dishonoring the honorable ~ a national disgrace – KDKA in Pittsburgh is reporting that, “The U.S. Military is demanding that thousands of wounded service personnel give back signing bonuses because they are unable to serve out their commitments. Why are they unable to serve out their commitments? They have lost an arm or a leg or an eye or hearing or a brain function in combat. These brave American military men and women are maimed for life and they are being asked to return bonuses (or not receive part of the bonus still due). From the outset of the Iraq war our enlisted military have had to deal with insufficient equipment, inadequate training, unconscionably long tours of combat duty, and wanting post-injury medical and psychological treatment. The President and the military hierarchy who have spoken so earnestly about supporting the troops have in fact stood down. Disgrace is their mantle.
~Update – The former soldier that KDKA reported on is Jordan Fox. Just before Mr. Fox was to make an appearance on national television to tell his story the Pentagon announced it was cancelling their $3000 bill back. No mention was made of the unknown number of other military personnel facing similar accounting procedures.
*Forgetful???? – USA Today has found that the U.S. government has not classified as wounded during combat in Iraq and Afghanistan at least 20,000 troops with brain injuries. This is over and above the 30,000 wounded officially listed by the Pentagon.” Soldiers and Marines whose wounds were discovered after they left Iraq are not added to the official casualty list, says Army Col. Robert Labutta, a neurologist and brain injury consultant for the Pentagon.” Were these statistics “state secrets” or a calculated method to keep the truth from the American people? This administration has never owned up to the damage the Iraq war has had on this country and the military has blindly marched in step. The lessons of Viet Nam have been forgotten!
*Very soft porn - A 101-year-old British pensioner has posed topless for a nude calendar to raise money for a local soccer team. Nora Hardwick will be Miss November in the calendar, aimed at raising money for the Ancaster Athletic team made up of 9 and10 year-olds in her village in Lincolnshire. The first 2 weeks of December had to be omitted since Ms. Hardwick’s breasts are sagging below the fold. A local Vicar said that the calendar will positively impact youth abstinence.
*Taking a sabbatical – Karl Rove says that religious conservatives may stay away from the voting booth in 2008. One may speculate that they have realized the damage their “religious” vote wrought on this country in the person of G.W. Bush. Perhaps they developed an understanding of the concept of separation of church and state. Maybe they realized that their leaders such as Pat Robertson or Gerry Falwell were more interested in enhancing their own power and financial positions than in enhancing the souls of their followers. It could be that they studied history and concluded that theocracies wreak havoc on the populace and that the founders of America were intelligent and insightful.
*Happy Holidays Mr. President – The criticism President Bush has received for avoiding the dictates of the U.S. Constitution may be unfair. I suggest that he never read it. The Center for Constitutional Rights has a solution. They are offering free of charge the opportunity for any individual to send a copy of the Constitution to the president. From the CCR site, “The President needs to be reminded that he swore an oath to uphold the Constitution of the United States-his administration has been systematically destroying the Constitution since he took office. With your help, CCR will flood the Oval Office with copies of the Constitution this holiday season”. Get in the holiday/patriotic spirit and join your fellow Americans who are sending Mr. Law and Order this thoughtful gift. I just sent a copy and mine was number 29,201.
*dailykos.com – This is the website that two years ago stimulated my interest to become more active in the political discourse. It is one of the top political sites on the internet. The founder of the site, Markos Moulitsas, co-authored the book “Crashing the Gate” that discussed the need for Democrats to stop doing business as usual by depending upon the same consultants that led them from one defeat to the next. Markos, or Kos as he is known to his huge audience, was just added to Newsweek’s slate of columnists. His first article “Make the Bush Record the Issue” addresses the point that Republican candidates cannot distance themselves from Bush because they are dependent on the (shrinking) Republican base to win the nomination. However, the vast majority of Americans are very aware of the dismal Bush years and they will not have amnesia during the elections of 2008. Moulitsas says, “As long as Democratic candidates remind voters that the Republican platform and Bush's record are one and the same, victory will be assured.” I would like to share this optimism but it must be tempered with the fact that Americans have not paid enough attention to the damage its elected leaders have wrought. Where is the outrage to what has occurred these past 7 years? Shaking one’s head and changing the channel does not make for a responsible and responsive electorate.
*A George Bush dream ~ A George Bush opera – Independent judges on the Supreme Court are removed and hand-picked judges are installed, dismissing legal challenges to his rule. Opposition lawyers, journalists and human rights activists are jailed. The leader of the country says, “The decisions were made in the best interests of the country”. These dictatorial events just occurred in Pakistan. How did Bush respond this week? He said, “The general (Musharraf) "hasn't crossed the line" and "truly is somebody who believes in democracy." Honestly, really, cross my heart.
*Getting tougher on terror – Last week I criticized Republican presidential candidate Mike Huckabee for waving the false flag of Islamo Facism as an indication that he comprehends Middle Eastern geopolitics and terrorism. Well, Mr. Huckabee just kicked it up a notch. His first television campaign ad features Kung Fu aficionado and B-movie actor Chuck Norris endorsing Huckabee for President. Can Rambo be far behind? This is exactly what America needs - more macho bullshit. Take a look at the ad. It is not Saturday Night Live but it could be.
* Alberto R. Gonzales Legal Expense Trust – Having resigned in disgrace former Attorney General Gonzales is paying the price. Well, actually others are paying the price to hear him speak – something he failed to do when testifying before congress. The University of Florida is paying $40,000 and the University of Washington in St. Louis is paying $30,000 for Gonzales to give a speech. The honorariums are not all gravy for Mr. Gonzales since it has been necessary for him to establish a legal defense fund. He is facing multiple investigations (including perjury and witness tampering) for his actions while head of the Justice Department.
*Rudy is no longer a disingenuous joke ~ He is now a dangerous joke – Most of my remarks about Rudy Giuliani have been in a humorous vein as he lies about his record or argues for Second Amendment gun rights for blind people. There is nothing funny about his most recent remarks. Seeking Federalist Society (an ultra conservative group of lawyers) support, the GOP presidential candidate promises to nominate justices like Scalia and Thomas to the Supreme Court. With more Scalias and Thomases on the bench we would have a group of reactionary activists obliterating the gains made by minorities, women and consumers over the past 75 years.
*Southern conservatives ~ blind ideology – John Aravosis, who writes at americablog.com, provides an interesting commentary about the South: “We've written before about how the South has a reputation for electing far-right Neanderthal politicians who don't care about much beyond God, gays and guns (embracing the former and the latter, and bashing the guy in the middle). And we've written about how the South's biggest problems, like poverty, have little to do with God, gays, guns or the Republican (or far-right Democratic) politicians they elect. It's therefore funny, yet again, that the conservative South is shooting itself in the foot by siding with politicians (that would be Republicans) who deny the existence of global warming. Why? Because according to a new study, America's South will be among the world's regions worst hit by the impact of global warming on local agriculture.” One of the wonderful aspects of a democracy is that it allows for a changing of the guard when it is ineffective. Some folks just don’t get it, y’all.
*Speaking of climate change – The United Nations just completed a rigorous multi-stage review process on climate change that includes 2,500 scientific expert reviewers, 800 contributing authors, and 450 lead authors representing 130 countries. Some conclusions include: “All countries will be affected; it is 90% certain that global warming is man-made; by 2100 temperatures and sea levels will have risen; reduction in greenhouse gasses had to begin immediately to avert a global climate disaster; China and the U.S. must play a more active role.” Not to go unnoticed is the fact that under Bush the White House and the EPA have had a policy of unprecedented obstructionism in addressing global warming. At a time when a proactive stance by our government was desperately required it not only ignored the problem but intensified it. The report concludes that, “effects of climate change are "becoming evident already," and without due action, will be "abrupt or irreversible.” Some folks just don’t get it, y’all.
*Gap for Kids ~ Gap by Kids – You know it as a cute retail store in malls that sells children’s clothes and extends its Gap brand image. That brand image just took a hit. “Apparel retailer Gap is canceling half of its orders with a vendor in India after revelations that some of its clothes were made by children as young as 10. The company has promised to donate $200,000 to improve working conditions in India, and it pledged to tighten its own standards. Gap says it didn't know that its Indian vendor paid a subcontractor who hired children.” I am no longer accepting “we didn’t know” malarkey from American corporations that have outsourced their production and their souls. We heard the same crap from Mattel about their toxic toys made in China. Perhaps the executives of Mattel should be required to have their children play with these toys before the toys are put on the market. Perhaps the executives of Gap should send their children to a factory in India for their summer vacation to learn the business.
*Human Rights for all – The Human Rights Campaign (HRC) is America’s largest civil rights organization working to achieve gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender equality. By inspiring and engaging all Americans, HRC strives to end discrimination against GLBT citizens and realize a nation that achieves fundamental fairness and equality for all.” HRC has just released “Buying for Equality 2008” listing the major U.S. companies that have achieved high marks for equality in the workplace. When making a purchase you may want to consider supporting these companies.
*What Happened – This is the title of a book to be released in April by Scott McClellan, former White House Press Secretary. Excerpts from the publisher’s web site: “The most powerful leader in the world had called upon me to speak on his behalf and help restore credibility he lost amid the failure to find weapons of mass destruction in Iraq. So I stood at the White house briefing room podium in front of the glare of the klieg lights for the better part of two weeks and publicly exonerated two of the senior-most aides in the White House: Karl Rove and Scooter Libby. There was one problem. It was not true. I had unknowingly passed along false information. And five of the highest ranking officials in the administration were involved in my doing so: Rove, Libby, the vice President, the President's chief of staff, and the President himself.” There will be many books published about what happened during the Bush presidency. I suspect that most will have a common theme - the 43rd President of the United States, a self-described man of faith, a man who swore to uphold the rule of law in his first inaugural speech, was in word and deed a liar.
*What Happened? – How long has McClellan known that he was lied to by high administration officials? What was his responsibility to tell the truth to the American people when he first knew it? Are we to believe that “integrity” was McClellan’s motivation to reveal the truth or his greed to sell books? It should be remembered that Special Prosecutor Patrick Fitzgerald has not closed the case on the Plame leak. Could he subpoena McClellan to determine what he knows under oath? Will a congressional investigative committee do the same?
*You can help ~ Following are excerpts from the letter a reader of SVN sent to the Philadelphia Inquirer. It requests our help. - “I’m one of 5.7 million Americans who suffer from bipolar disorder. If not managed properly, these severe mood swings are devastating to the individual, family and society. ... We do not receive full insurance coverage for our condition. If our liver or kidneys are damaged, insurance will pay. However, unlike Parkinson’s disease, dramatic mood swings are not considered a brain illness even though our tiny brain neurons are flawed. Many of us are forced to pay catastrophically high costs for psychiatric visits, meds or hospitalizations. Fortunately, this may soon change, thanks to the culmination of 2 decades of legislative battles. House Bill 1424 proposes to offer full medical coverage, a bill which recently passed the Senate unanimously. That’s why I urge your readers to call their US Congressmen today and ask them to vote Yes on Bill 1424. What a great Christmas gift this would be. We are, after all, our brothers’ keepers.” (Ruth Z. Deming). At Project Vote Smart the names and contact information of your representatives can easily be obtained.
* “We must rapidly begin the shift from a "thing-oriented" society to a "person-oriented" society. When machines and computers, profit motives and property rights are considered more important than people, the giant triplets of racism, materialism, and militarism are incapable of being conquered.”
Martin Luther King, Jr. (1929 – 1968)
~Update – The former soldier that KDKA reported on is Jordan Fox. Just before Mr. Fox was to make an appearance on national television to tell his story the Pentagon announced it was cancelling their $3000 bill back. No mention was made of the unknown number of other military personnel facing similar accounting procedures.
*Forgetful???? – USA Today has found that the U.S. government has not classified as wounded during combat in Iraq and Afghanistan at least 20,000 troops with brain injuries. This is over and above the 30,000 wounded officially listed by the Pentagon.” Soldiers and Marines whose wounds were discovered after they left Iraq are not added to the official casualty list, says Army Col. Robert Labutta, a neurologist and brain injury consultant for the Pentagon.” Were these statistics “state secrets” or a calculated method to keep the truth from the American people? This administration has never owned up to the damage the Iraq war has had on this country and the military has blindly marched in step. The lessons of Viet Nam have been forgotten!
*Very soft porn - A 101-year-old British pensioner has posed topless for a nude calendar to raise money for a local soccer team. Nora Hardwick will be Miss November in the calendar, aimed at raising money for the Ancaster Athletic team made up of 9 and10 year-olds in her village in Lincolnshire. The first 2 weeks of December had to be omitted since Ms. Hardwick’s breasts are sagging below the fold. A local Vicar said that the calendar will positively impact youth abstinence.
*Taking a sabbatical – Karl Rove says that religious conservatives may stay away from the voting booth in 2008. One may speculate that they have realized the damage their “religious” vote wrought on this country in the person of G.W. Bush. Perhaps they developed an understanding of the concept of separation of church and state. Maybe they realized that their leaders such as Pat Robertson or Gerry Falwell were more interested in enhancing their own power and financial positions than in enhancing the souls of their followers. It could be that they studied history and concluded that theocracies wreak havoc on the populace and that the founders of America were intelligent and insightful.
*Happy Holidays Mr. President – The criticism President Bush has received for avoiding the dictates of the U.S. Constitution may be unfair. I suggest that he never read it. The Center for Constitutional Rights has a solution. They are offering free of charge the opportunity for any individual to send a copy of the Constitution to the president. From the CCR site, “The President needs to be reminded that he swore an oath to uphold the Constitution of the United States-his administration has been systematically destroying the Constitution since he took office. With your help, CCR will flood the Oval Office with copies of the Constitution this holiday season”. Get in the holiday/patriotic spirit and join your fellow Americans who are sending Mr. Law and Order this thoughtful gift. I just sent a copy and mine was number 29,201.
*dailykos.com – This is the website that two years ago stimulated my interest to become more active in the political discourse. It is one of the top political sites on the internet. The founder of the site, Markos Moulitsas, co-authored the book “Crashing the Gate” that discussed the need for Democrats to stop doing business as usual by depending upon the same consultants that led them from one defeat to the next. Markos, or Kos as he is known to his huge audience, was just added to Newsweek’s slate of columnists. His first article “Make the Bush Record the Issue” addresses the point that Republican candidates cannot distance themselves from Bush because they are dependent on the (shrinking) Republican base to win the nomination. However, the vast majority of Americans are very aware of the dismal Bush years and they will not have amnesia during the elections of 2008. Moulitsas says, “As long as Democratic candidates remind voters that the Republican platform and Bush's record are one and the same, victory will be assured.” I would like to share this optimism but it must be tempered with the fact that Americans have not paid enough attention to the damage its elected leaders have wrought. Where is the outrage to what has occurred these past 7 years? Shaking one’s head and changing the channel does not make for a responsible and responsive electorate.
*A George Bush dream ~ A George Bush opera – Independent judges on the Supreme Court are removed and hand-picked judges are installed, dismissing legal challenges to his rule. Opposition lawyers, journalists and human rights activists are jailed. The leader of the country says, “The decisions were made in the best interests of the country”. These dictatorial events just occurred in Pakistan. How did Bush respond this week? He said, “The general (Musharraf) "hasn't crossed the line" and "truly is somebody who believes in democracy." Honestly, really, cross my heart.
*Getting tougher on terror – Last week I criticized Republican presidential candidate Mike Huckabee for waving the false flag of Islamo Facism as an indication that he comprehends Middle Eastern geopolitics and terrorism. Well, Mr. Huckabee just kicked it up a notch. His first television campaign ad features Kung Fu aficionado and B-movie actor Chuck Norris endorsing Huckabee for President. Can Rambo be far behind? This is exactly what America needs - more macho bullshit. Take a look at the ad. It is not Saturday Night Live but it could be.
* Alberto R. Gonzales Legal Expense Trust – Having resigned in disgrace former Attorney General Gonzales is paying the price. Well, actually others are paying the price to hear him speak – something he failed to do when testifying before congress. The University of Florida is paying $40,000 and the University of Washington in St. Louis is paying $30,000 for Gonzales to give a speech. The honorariums are not all gravy for Mr. Gonzales since it has been necessary for him to establish a legal defense fund. He is facing multiple investigations (including perjury and witness tampering) for his actions while head of the Justice Department.
*Rudy is no longer a disingenuous joke ~ He is now a dangerous joke – Most of my remarks about Rudy Giuliani have been in a humorous vein as he lies about his record or argues for Second Amendment gun rights for blind people. There is nothing funny about his most recent remarks. Seeking Federalist Society (an ultra conservative group of lawyers) support, the GOP presidential candidate promises to nominate justices like Scalia and Thomas to the Supreme Court. With more Scalias and Thomases on the bench we would have a group of reactionary activists obliterating the gains made by minorities, women and consumers over the past 75 years.
*Southern conservatives ~ blind ideology – John Aravosis, who writes at americablog.com, provides an interesting commentary about the South: “We've written before about how the South has a reputation for electing far-right Neanderthal politicians who don't care about much beyond God, gays and guns (embracing the former and the latter, and bashing the guy in the middle). And we've written about how the South's biggest problems, like poverty, have little to do with God, gays, guns or the Republican (or far-right Democratic) politicians they elect. It's therefore funny, yet again, that the conservative South is shooting itself in the foot by siding with politicians (that would be Republicans) who deny the existence of global warming. Why? Because according to a new study, America's South will be among the world's regions worst hit by the impact of global warming on local agriculture.” One of the wonderful aspects of a democracy is that it allows for a changing of the guard when it is ineffective. Some folks just don’t get it, y’all.
*Speaking of climate change – The United Nations just completed a rigorous multi-stage review process on climate change that includes 2,500 scientific expert reviewers, 800 contributing authors, and 450 lead authors representing 130 countries. Some conclusions include: “All countries will be affected; it is 90% certain that global warming is man-made; by 2100 temperatures and sea levels will have risen; reduction in greenhouse gasses had to begin immediately to avert a global climate disaster; China and the U.S. must play a more active role.” Not to go unnoticed is the fact that under Bush the White House and the EPA have had a policy of unprecedented obstructionism in addressing global warming. At a time when a proactive stance by our government was desperately required it not only ignored the problem but intensified it. The report concludes that, “effects of climate change are "becoming evident already," and without due action, will be "abrupt or irreversible.” Some folks just don’t get it, y’all.
*Gap for Kids ~ Gap by Kids – You know it as a cute retail store in malls that sells children’s clothes and extends its Gap brand image. That brand image just took a hit. “Apparel retailer Gap is canceling half of its orders with a vendor in India after revelations that some of its clothes were made by children as young as 10. The company has promised to donate $200,000 to improve working conditions in India, and it pledged to tighten its own standards. Gap says it didn't know that its Indian vendor paid a subcontractor who hired children.” I am no longer accepting “we didn’t know” malarkey from American corporations that have outsourced their production and their souls. We heard the same crap from Mattel about their toxic toys made in China. Perhaps the executives of Mattel should be required to have their children play with these toys before the toys are put on the market. Perhaps the executives of Gap should send their children to a factory in India for their summer vacation to learn the business.
*Human Rights for all – The Human Rights Campaign (HRC) is America’s largest civil rights organization working to achieve gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender equality. By inspiring and engaging all Americans, HRC strives to end discrimination against GLBT citizens and realize a nation that achieves fundamental fairness and equality for all.” HRC has just released “Buying for Equality 2008” listing the major U.S. companies that have achieved high marks for equality in the workplace. When making a purchase you may want to consider supporting these companies.
*What Happened – This is the title of a book to be released in April by Scott McClellan, former White House Press Secretary. Excerpts from the publisher’s web site: “The most powerful leader in the world had called upon me to speak on his behalf and help restore credibility he lost amid the failure to find weapons of mass destruction in Iraq. So I stood at the White house briefing room podium in front of the glare of the klieg lights for the better part of two weeks and publicly exonerated two of the senior-most aides in the White House: Karl Rove and Scooter Libby. There was one problem. It was not true. I had unknowingly passed along false information. And five of the highest ranking officials in the administration were involved in my doing so: Rove, Libby, the vice President, the President's chief of staff, and the President himself.” There will be many books published about what happened during the Bush presidency. I suspect that most will have a common theme - the 43rd President of the United States, a self-described man of faith, a man who swore to uphold the rule of law in his first inaugural speech, was in word and deed a liar.
*What Happened? – How long has McClellan known that he was lied to by high administration officials? What was his responsibility to tell the truth to the American people when he first knew it? Are we to believe that “integrity” was McClellan’s motivation to reveal the truth or his greed to sell books? It should be remembered that Special Prosecutor Patrick Fitzgerald has not closed the case on the Plame leak. Could he subpoena McClellan to determine what he knows under oath? Will a congressional investigative committee do the same?
*You can help ~ Following are excerpts from the letter a reader of SVN sent to the Philadelphia Inquirer. It requests our help. - “I’m one of 5.7 million Americans who suffer from bipolar disorder. If not managed properly, these severe mood swings are devastating to the individual, family and society. ... We do not receive full insurance coverage for our condition. If our liver or kidneys are damaged, insurance will pay. However, unlike Parkinson’s disease, dramatic mood swings are not considered a brain illness even though our tiny brain neurons are flawed. Many of us are forced to pay catastrophically high costs for psychiatric visits, meds or hospitalizations. Fortunately, this may soon change, thanks to the culmination of 2 decades of legislative battles. House Bill 1424 proposes to offer full medical coverage, a bill which recently passed the Senate unanimously. That’s why I urge your readers to call their US Congressmen today and ask them to vote Yes on Bill 1424. What a great Christmas gift this would be. We are, after all, our brothers’ keepers.” (Ruth Z. Deming). At Project Vote Smart the names and contact information of your representatives can easily be obtained.
* “We must rapidly begin the shift from a "thing-oriented" society to a "person-oriented" society. When machines and computers, profit motives and property rights are considered more important than people, the giant triplets of racism, materialism, and militarism are incapable of being conquered.”
Martin Luther King, Jr. (1929 – 1968)
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